Did Berlin Zoo sell animals to slaughterhouses?

The world-famous Berlin Zoo is facing accusations of selling animals to slaughterhouses across the world. The zoo denies all claims, but Berlin's public prosecutor is deciding whether charges should be brought.

Germany’s Green Party say Berlin Zoo has been selling unwanted animals including a pygmy hippopotamus, a family of bears and tigers.

They claim the animals have been illegally sold for slaughter and also used in Chinese sex potions. The zoo denies all claims saying all offspring are planned and the animals in question were sold to reputable dealers.

But Green Party politician Claudia Haemmerling disagrees and has published documents on her website which she says back up her claims.

Haemmerling says some of the animals were supposedly sold to a zoo in the Belgian town of Wortel, but the town has no zoo and according to her they actually went to a slaughterhouse.