Lotte Debrauwer

BERLIN - Public outcry followed the killing of Marius, a healthy giraffe at Copenhagen Zoo, in 2014. The zoo euthanised Marius because he did not fit into their breeding programme, and no suitable alternative placement could be found. This incident revealed the little-known practice of many European zoos routinely culling so-called 'surplus' animals — those deemed non-essential for conservation breeding.

BRUSSELS - This investigation examines how stricter European regulations on wild animals in circuses have led to an unintended crisis, leaving hundreds of big cats are trapped in  overcrowded shelters with limited resources and no coordinated solutions.

AMSTERDAM / BRUSSEL / STOCKHOLM - The European approach to legislation on sex work is a complex patchwork of contrasting policies, each of which claims to prioritise the welfare of workers, but often falls short in practice.

SOFIA/BUDAPEST - When people think of adoption, they think of poor countries in the global south. However, Flanders and the Netherlands adopt children from other European countries, such as Bulgaria and Hungary. This cross-border investigation shows that Roma children in these countries are discriminated against and end up in the adoption system due to stigma, poverty and a lack of support for families.