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| On-the-run Colchester Zoo wolf shot dead | On-the-run Colchester Zoo wolf shot dead |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A wolf that was on the run after escaping from its enclosure at an Essex zoo has been shot dead. | A wolf that was on the run after escaping from its enclosure at an Essex zoo has been shot dead. |
| The animal - said to be a danger to the public - was one of five timber wolves that escaped from Colchester Zoo. | The animal - said to be a danger to the public - was one of five timber wolves that escaped from Colchester Zoo. |
| Zoo staff found the perimeter fence damaged and five of the six wolves were missing. | |
| One returned, another was shot with a tranquiliser dart and two more were shot dead but the fifth animal escaped from the zoo grounds. | One returned, another was shot with a tranquiliser dart and two more were shot dead but the fifth animal escaped from the zoo grounds. |
| It was later spotted from a police helicopter in hedgerow just outside the perimeter fence. | It was later spotted from a police helicopter in hedgerow just outside the perimeter fence. |
| An area was cordoned off and the wolf was shot dead by a member of zoo staff on Tuesday afternoon. | An area was cordoned off and the wolf was shot dead by a member of zoo staff on Tuesday afternoon. |
| In a statement, the zoo said that keepers were "devastated" at the loss of the wolves, but that the animals had to be shot as they were a danger to the public. | |
| 'Not much fun' | |
| "Unfortunately, an anaesthetic dart takes 15 minutes to take effect and may not work at all in a stressed animal so two wolves that had left the perimeter of the zoo had to be shot," she said. | "Unfortunately, an anaesthetic dart takes 15 minutes to take effect and may not work at all in a stressed animal so two wolves that had left the perimeter of the zoo had to be shot," she said. |
| "They are wild animals and in an unpredictable situation they would have posed a risk to the public. | "They are wild animals and in an unpredictable situation they would have posed a risk to the public. |
| "The remaining wolf has now been located and very sadly also had to be destroyed." | "The remaining wolf has now been located and very sadly also had to be destroyed." |
| The statement said the damage to the fence of the wolf enclosure was discovered at 07:30 GMT on Tuesday. | The statement said the damage to the fence of the wolf enclosure was discovered at 07:30 GMT on Tuesday. |
| "It is not known at this stage how the damage occurred, despite the fence being routinely checked on a daily basis," it added. | "It is not known at this stage how the damage occurred, despite the fence being routinely checked on a daily basis," it added. |
| Bryony Williams left the zoo with her children after learning there was a wolf on the loose. | Bryony Williams left the zoo with her children after learning there was a wolf on the loose. |
| "It's not much fun trying to keep an eye on them (the children) and looking around. Had I been by myself it might have been an adventure." | "It's not much fun trying to keep an eye on them (the children) and looking around. Had I been by myself it might have been an adventure." |
| The lower half of the zoo was closed off in response to the escape as a "precaution", the zoo said. | The lower half of the zoo was closed off in response to the escape as a "precaution", the zoo said. |