south lake safari zoo incident

Nearly 500 animal deaths at South Lakes Safari Zoo in four years

Councillors have been urged to refuse a licence for South Lakes Safari Zoo in Cumbria because of the "deplorable standards" there.

Wednesday 1 March 2017 15:17, UK

Councillors have been told they should refuse a new licence for a zoo where almost 500 animals have died in four years.

The deaths at South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, from 2013 to 2016 were revealed in a report prepared by officers at Barrow Borough Council.

The council's licensing regulatory committee will decide the zoo's fate at a meeting next Monday.

The zoo was fined £255,000 after one of its employees, Sarah McClay, 24, was killed by a Sumatran tiger in May 2013.

It was hit with a £42,500 fine after it also pleaded guilty to health and safety law breaches when a zookeeper fell from a ladder while preparing to feed big cats in July 2014.

In response to the application by David Gill, who founded the zoo in 1994, for a fresh licence, Government-appointed inspectors said they were "dismayed by the obvious deficiencies in the accommodation, the overcrowding and the lack of proper welfare and husbandry".

They said the post-mortem database - detailing the deaths of 486 animals - "shows a clear picture of poor management with uncontrolled breeding and lack of any programme of preventative and curative veterinary medicine, with resultant ongoing welfare issues for the animals".

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The report said seven healthy lion cubs and five young baboons were "euthanised" because there was not enough space to keep them in.

Mr Gill shot 18 Sacred Ibis birds after he was threatened with prosecution for letting them fly free.

A giraffe was shot by its keeper after collapsing, two snow leopards were found partially eaten and a pair of squirrel monkeys were diagnosed with septicaemia.

Investigators found animals with varying degrees of ill-health, including a meerkat with visible skin problems, a lemur with a sore and a kangaroo which was described as "incredibly emaciated and unwell".

They also found the penguin pool without any water.

Inspectors noted the "poor design facilities" of animal houses which "could and probably would act as both a potential danger to the staff and the animals".

And in reference to the number of animal escapes in the past, the inspectors said they believed that if a new licence was granted there was "a reasonable likelihood that animals may continue to escape, and that if escaped they might injuriously affect the health or safety of persons living in the neighbourhood".

In a letter to the council, the Captive Animals Protection Society, which has carried out its own inspection visits, wrote: "The conduct of this zoo has been some of the worst we have seen in many years and we feel that a case for closure is strong."

The council's officers conclude in their report: "The lack of senior supervision and management is evident throughout the zoo, including the failures of the local veterinary service, leading to deplorable standards, compromised welfare and deaths."

Lawyers for Mr Gill said that although he remained the licence holder he had stepped away from all trading and management activities connected with the zoo, transferring full responsibility to Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd.

On the zoo's Facebook page, Cumbria Zoo Company's chief executive Karen Brewer said it had a "continuing commitment to animal welfare" since the firm began operating the site in January.

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Zoo keeper, Sarah McClay, was killed by tiger after door was left ‘wide open’

Police investigate whether human error led to the death of the 24-year-old victim, article bookmarked.

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The zoo keeper who was killed by a Sumatran tiger in front of horrified onlookers was attacked after a door was left “wide open”, it was confirmed today.

Click HERE to view graphic

Sarah McClay, 24, died after she was mauled by a male tiger, called Padang, on Friday afternoon at South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria.

Police investigating the attack released further details of the incident today.

Padang should have been locked in an outside enclosure as Ms McClay cleaned up the tigers’ pen after feeding time in a staff-only area. But the full-grown tiger walked through an open door, which should have been secured, and got back into the pen where it dragged Ms McClay 50 yards by her head and neck into the public viewing area.

The alarm was quickly raised and zoo owner David Gill and a colleague entered the area, scared the tiger back into its pen by firing a rifle and then carried Ms McClay, who by then is believed to have suffered a heart attack, to waiting paramedics. She was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital where she died later.

It was reported that only one visitor saw the attack but Detective Chief Inspector Bob Qazi, who is leading the inquiry, claimed there were more and urged them to come forward. “We believe several people will have seen what went on,” he said. “Sarah was in the staff area and for some reason the door to the pen has been left insecure. The tiger has entered the staff area and confronted and attacked Sarah.”

Mr Qazi confirmed the incident was not being treated as a criminal investigation. “We are looking at whether it was an issue of human error, or errors in the system or mechanical failure.” He said there was nothing to suggest suicide, self-harm or any suspicion of foul play.

He confirmed Ms McClay was alone in the building at the time, but said he did not know who had been in the building previously. The door to the public area was bolted and onlookers were never at risk, he said.

Padang was on display as normal today. He featured in a display where meat was placed on top of 12ft poles. The tigers keep fit by climbing to get their meal, while staff explain the zoo’s conservation work. Sarah had performed this role on the day she was attacked.

Mr Gill said Padang – part of a world-wide conservation programme – would not be destroyed.

The zoo confirmed in a statement the door between the 5ft by 20ft staff area was “wide open” and the slides to the outdoor areas were left open.It added: “We are convinced this was not anything but an accident caused by human error. The two horizontal slides and the den door were in full working order at that time and this was documented by police.”

The family of Ms McClay, from Barrow, Cumbria, have set up a memorial in her name for red squirrel conservation.

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South Lakes Safari Zoo Facing Closure Calls After 500 Animal Deaths In 4 Years

Senior Editor, HuffPost UK

There are calls for a zoo where almost 500 animals have died in four years to be refused a new licence.

The deaths at South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, from 2013 to 2016 were revealed in a report to members of Barrow Borough Council’s licensing regulatory committee , which will decide the zoo’s fate next week.

In June 2016, the zoo - founded in 1994 by David Gill - was fined £255,000 at Preston Crown Court after one of its employees, Sarah McClay, 24, was killed by a Sumatran tiger in May 2013.

It received an additional £42,500 fine after it also pleaded guilty to other health and safety law breaches when a zoo keeper fell from a ladder while preparing to feed big cats in July 2014.

In response to the application by Gill for a fresh licence - and to effectively keep the zoo open - Government-appointed inspectors said they were “dismayed by the obvious deficiencies in the accommodation, the overcrowding and the lack of proper welfare and husbandry”.

They said the post-mortem database - detailing the deaths of 486 animals - “shows a clear picture of poor management with uncontrolled breeding and lack of any programme of preventative and curative veterinary medicine, with resultant ongoing welfare issues for the animals”.

It noted the “poor design facilities” of animal houses which “could and probably would act as both a potential danger to the staff and the animals”.

In reference to a number of animal escapes, the inspectors said that if a new licence was granted there was “a reasonable likelihood that animals may continue to escape, and that if escaped they might injuriously affect the health or safety of persons living in the neighbourhood”.

In a letter to the council, the Captive Animals Protection Society, which has conducted its own inspection visits, wrote: “The conduct of this zoo has been some of the worst we have seen in many years and we feel that a case for closure is strong.

Animal deaths at the zoo included: Jaguar chewed off its own paw Two snow leopard cubs discovered partially eaten in their enclosure Two giraffes, both found to have poor levels of nutrition Tortoise electrocuted Lemur killed after entering wolf enclosure Fennec fox died after getting its head stuck in a wire fence Rhino crushed to death by its partner Seven healthy lion cubs and five baboons euthanised due to lack of space

“We urge the council to take the opportunity to prevent more animal suffering at this zoo and also set an example to the entire industry that inadequate care and management will not be tolerated.”

In its recommendation to reject the application, council officers concluded: “The lack of senior supervision and management is evident throughout the zoo, including the failures of the local veterinary service, leading to deplorable standards, compromised welfare and deaths.”

Lawyers for Mr Gill told the council that although he remained the licence holder he had stepped away from all trading and management activities connected with the zoo.

A picture of an emaciated kangaroo, taken by a member of the public and included in the report

They added that Mr Gill was “absolutely committed to exiting the zoo” and transferring full responsibility to Cumbria Zoo Company.

On the zoo’s Facebook page, Cumbria Zoo Company’s chief executive Karen Brewer said it had a “continuing commitment to animal welfare” since the firm began operating the site in January.

She said the company’s commitment was to “strive to achieve high welfare standards for the animals in our care, be animal welfare leaders and advocates, and provide environments that focus on the animals’ physical and behavioural needs”.

The committee will consider the application on Monday.

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