Writings
Writings
News and posts
Wolves can only be shot when it’s a “problem wolf”. But when is it?
The wolves in Oksbøl do not justify regulating the size of the total protected wolf population in Denmark. But some wolves may be "problem wolves" and can be shot, says Bengt Holst
Life and death are often two sides of the same coin
We must learn to distinguish between death in our own ranks, which naturally causes grief and requires its own approach, and death in nature, which has a very important function, writes former zoo director Bengt Holst
Copenhagen Zoo received 40,000 emails about the euthanasia of a giraffe. And came out of the storm stronger
10 years after Copenhagen Zoo was caught in a global shitstorm over the killing of a giraffe, the zoo's scientific director at the time, Bengt Holst, reflects on the public giraffe autopsy and the subsequent protests and death threats
Plastic waste: What do we do with floating plastic piles bigger than Denmark? The ocean is not an infinite garbage can
A behavioral change is needed for those who seem to believe that the ocean is a limitless dumping ground. Plastic waste in the oceans is a growing problem
Our urge to look after the cottage cat is actually dangerous for it
At some point, the vacation ends and reality sets in for the cat the family has taken in
Without popular support, green tripartite will not be historic
The ambitions of the Green Tripartite are high. It could be a crucial turning point for Danish nature policy. But only time will tell if it's realistic
Dogs are called man’s best friend – but is the opposite also true?
Many flat-nosed dog breeds struggle with severe breathing problems as a result of breeding that has focused on appearance over health. The Animal Ethics Council has been warning against this practice for years, but to no avail. Now the Council is calling on the Minister of Food to intervene with legislation to set clear limits on breeding so that animal welfare does not continue to be overridden in favor of human preferences.
Need for innovation in equestrian sports
Denmark is among the world's best equestrian nations, but the success of equestrian sport should not be at the expense of the horses' welfare. Behind the medals, there is a high level of ambition that can put pressure on the horses both physically and mentally. The Animal Ethics Council calls for a greater focus on horse welfare in the sport - from better control of equipment to a changed approach to how horse performance is assessed.
Equestrian sports: We are among the world’s best equestrian nations, but animal ethics are lacking
Animal ethics in equestrian sports: There is a need for new thinking in equestrian sports if they are to remain an accepted sport in Denmark and if they are to live up to the ethical ideals described by the industry itself
Podcast about Dian Fossey
Podcast about Dian Fossey, the gorilla woman who paid the ultimate price
Biodiversity: In Denmark, we think we are climate role models. We are not, not at all
A new international agreement to save biodiversity. It's going to be harder for Denmark to meet the targets than you might think
Is it ethical to release hundreds of thousands of birds into the wild just so they can be shot?
I have great respect for the ethics that generally surround hunting in Denmark. But hunting animals that are released for the sole purpose of giving hunters something to shoot seems ethically indefensible
The climate and biodiversity crises are two sides of the same coin. Therefore, they should be solved with joint action
It may seem like we have to choose whether to solve the climate or biodiversity crisis, but it's not either-or
Is nature too harsh for animals?
We often tend to think of farm animals as special species that are so well-adapted to a life in barn environments that their native biology no longer needs to be taken into account
Is nature a luxury phenomenon?
We are in the midst of a biodiversity and climate crisis where nature is often downgraded in favor of economic considerations.
Can animals be released in the new national nature parks?
Published as an op-ed in Jyllandsposten November 17, 2021 Much has been written about the upcoming national nature parks and the concept of releasing large herbivores such as horses and cattle to restore and maintain open spaces. Among professionals, the debate has...
Encourage children’s curiosity
Children are born with a great curiosity, but we adults do everything we can to kill it. Let children follow their wonder and become whole people
Debate in Politiken
Scientific Director of Copenhagen Zoo, Bengt Holst, responds to the debate article from XX published in Politiken's online newspaper on April 17, 2018 If you really love animals, stay far away from zoos. Bengt Holst's commentary is divided into two parts: first a...
Nature view
Here you can read about my views on nature and our relationship with animals. Animals should be respected for what they are, not what we can turn them into. Each species is a unique interim end product of a million-year evolutionary process and we cannot afford to...
Killing animals in zoos
Taking life is of course a serious matter. But nevertheless, it's something that happens every day in Denmark today. Millions of animals are slaughtered to satisfy our demand for meat, and dogs, cats and other pets are regularly killed, either because they are...
Can rewilding and animal welfare go hand in hand?
Rewilding is a new and controversial concept in Danish nature management. It's about recreating nature's own processes by reintroducing large grazers and letting ecosystems regulate themselves. But where do we draw the line? Should we accept that animals die a natural death without human intervention? And what does the law say about our responsibility? The debate is ongoing and rewilding raises both ethical and practical questions that require clarification.
Articles
My curiosity is constantly piqued
Article published in Politiken in connection with the release of the book “Bengt Holst -Naturens stemme”.
My nature
From the series “min natur” published in Kristeligt Dagblad.
Focus must shift from nature to species survival
(Photo: Mads Joakim Rimer Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix)
The death of Marius the giraffe produced an amazing com- performance
Article about (crisis) communication in connection with the euthanasia of Marius the giraffe, published in the communication and language magazine Kommagasinet.
(Photo: Zoo PR)
What do we want from nature?
Chronicle published in Jylland-Posten about our expectations and ideas about rewilding and untouched nature.
