Shooting escaped wolf ‘a last resort’, says wildlife park
New mother Ember was found outside the perimeter fence at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Oxfordshire,
A wolf has been shot dead after it escaped from a wildlife park.
Ember was discovered outside the perimeter fence at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford, Oxfordshire, at about 11am on Friday.
In a statement, the park said shooting the three-year-old animal, who gave birth to five cubs earlier this year, was a “last resort”.
“She had somehow escaped her enclosure and had made her way to an area that was beyond the reach of a tranquilliser dart, and potentially within reach of a busy road,” the park said.
“The safety of our visitors, and the public, has to be our priority and our keepers were put in the unenviable position of making a decision that no animal lover should have to make.”
The park added that measures have been taken to increase security checks and thanked visitors for their co-operation.
The statement sparked concern on social media, with questions being asked about why Ember could not have been sedated, rather than killed.
