A snow leopard was shot and killed at a zoo in the United Kingdom after it escaped an enclosure left open by its keeper, zoo officials said.
« Euthanasia is, and always will be, a last resort, » he said. « Efforts to persuade Margaash to return to his enclosure failed and as the animal was close to surrounding woodland and dark was approaching, the vet did not believe a tranquillizer dart was a safe option due to the amount of time the drug takes to work. »
Zoo staff had « no other option in the interest of public safety, » according to the statement, adding that the animal « did not suffer » as it was euthanized with a single shot by a senior member of the firearms team.
