Reindeer - Lori Paris

The Toronto Zoo is in Santa's good books again.
 
The zoo recently came under fire when reports surfaced that baby male reindeer were being euthanized to cull the herd. But there is a last minute reprieve for the latest baby boy reindeer that was born at the zoo this weekend.

Listen to Lori Paris' report

Bownmanville Zoo has agreed to take the new baby, as well as two adult males that the zoo had been trying to transfer for the past three years.

Toronto Zoo CEO Robin Hale says the zoo did not take the decision to put the baby reindeer down lightly, saying it was one of the most difficult decisions the zoo had faced.

"We were basically up to our capacity to hold additional reindeer, and gone through a fairly exhaustive process to look at the options, and then had to make the decision that we would invoke the policy to euthanize the newborn male reindeer."

Bowmanville Zoo Director Mike Hackenberger says they lost several older reindeer over the winter, so he's glad they were able to take on Toronto's surplus males, adding that Toronto Zoo did nothing wrong.

"Toronto used great jurisprudence.  They were diligent in looking for a home for these animals.  I don't think Toronto Zoo can be faulted on any level.  In fact, I would say the negative media and public attention that the Toronto Zoo went through is both unwarranted and unfair to that facility."

Hale says that while the baby born this past weekend has been saved, if more males are born, they may have to be put down if the Zoo cannot find a new home for them.

The Toronto Zoo's euthanasia policy has been in place since the 70's, and is the same as other zoos around the world.  But the Zoo Board Chair Raymond Cho says the board will be re-examining that policy when they meet later this month