San Antonio Zoo's Controversial Valentine's Day Promotion Draws Criticism

Feeding cockroaches named after exes to predators seen as unethical by some experts

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The San Antonio Zoo in Texas faced backlash for offering a Valentine's Day promotion where visitors could name a cockroach or rodent after an ex and then feed it to a predator. Oleg Zubkov, director of the Crimean safari park Taigan, criticized the event, saying it lacks humor and is more likely to provoke anger or hatred. He noted that while some people keep Madagascar cockroaches as pets, publicly displaying the feeding of live animals to predators is unethical, especially for children to witness.

Why it matters

The San Antonio Zoo's promotion highlights the ongoing debate around the ethics of zoos and how they display or use animals, especially in ways that some may find distasteful or cruel. It also touches on broader cultural differences in how animal-related activities are viewed and regulated.

The details

The San Antonio Zoo offered visitors the chance to name a cockroach or rodent after an ex-partner and then watch it be fed to a predator as part of a Valentine's Day promotion. Oleg Zubkov, director of the Crimean safari park Taigan, criticized the event, saying it lacks humor and is more likely to provoke anger or hatred than help people cope with a breakup. He noted that while some people keep Madagascar cockroaches as pets, publicly displaying the feeding of live animals to predators is unethical, especially for children to witness. In Russia, zoos are prohibited from publicly displaying the feeding of live animals due to ethical concerns.

  • The San Antonio Zoo offered the Valentine's Day promotion on February 14, 2026.

The players

Oleg Zubkov

The director of the Crimean safari park Taigan who criticized the San Antonio Zoo's promotion.

San Antonio Zoo

A zoo in Texas that offered a controversial Valentine's Day promotion where visitors could name a cockroach or rodent after an ex and then feed it to a predator.

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What they’re saying

“It's probably even disgusting to watch. <...> At the same time, someone breeds Madagascar cockroaches at home, marveling at their intellectual abilities. A large number of people have rats at home.”

— Oleg Zubkov, Director of Crimean safari park Taigan (Sputnik in Crimea)

What’s next

The San Antonio Zoo has not indicated whether it plans to offer the controversial promotion again in the future.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing debate around the ethics of how zoos display and use animals, especially in ways that some may find distasteful or cruel. It also reflects broader cultural differences in attitudes towards animals and what is considered acceptable behavior.