They made the appeal on social media

Getting to see the huge predators up close is an incredible experience.

From lions to elephants, zoos allow people to experience a glimpse of wildlife without the risks.

However, one Danish zoo has recently raised eyebrows after it called for people to donate their unwanted pets so they can feed them to their predators.

Aalborg Zoo shared a post on its Facebook page asking people if they could donate smaller animals for them to feed to their animals.

They requested animals such as chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs, saying they are "an important part of the diet of our predators."

The North Jutland zoo pointed out that their European lynx in particular "needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild."

Their post explained that they would take animals off people's hands "for various reasons", and that their trained staff would euthanise them before using them as food.

People are able to bring up to four small species at once, with the zoo also saying they will accept horses of up to 147cm tall that have a pet passport.

"In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the animals' natural food chain - for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity," the zoo explained.

"Nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators."

They added that "for many years" they have fed their carnivores using "smaller livestock."

"When keeping carnivores, it is necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur, bones, etc., to give them as natural a diet as possible.

"Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanised for various reasons to be of use in this way.

"In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute."