Eurasian gray wolf. Photograph by Gunnar Ries
The final wolf has been found and killed after five of the animals escaped from the zoo earlier today.
Zoo keepers discovered a damaged fence which allowed five wolves to escape from their enclosure at Colchester Zoo in the early hours of this morning.
One of the wolves returned on its own accord shortly after escaping and another was found and shot with a tranquilliser dart before being recaptured.
Sadly, however, two of the wolves that were found quite quickly had to be shot and killed as they are unpredictable animals posed a threat to the public, leaving one lone wolf roaming around Colchester for much of the day. Members of the public were told not to approach or corner the animal if discovered, with wolves naturally quite timid animals.
The final wolf was finally discovered around 4pm, but also had to be killed in a sad day for the zoo.
Zoo officials say a total of five wolves escaped this morning, with two being shot dead at the scene. Another returned immediately of its own accord and one was darted and recaptured.
Following a search working alongside Essex Police, the zoo confirmed the final animal on the loose had been killed shortly after 4pm.
‘At 7.30am on Tuesday 26 November, it was discovered that the perimeter fence to Colchester Zoo’s wolf enclosure had been damaged and five of the six timber wolves had left the enclosure,’ said a zoo spokesman.
