Why Did Have To Kill It

[emmie]

isn't there some method by way of tranquillisers that could have disabled this beautiful animal. They are so rare any way, now one is lost because of keeper error.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-46398647

[spathiphyllum]

I hope the disciplinary takes into account the risk of public safety and the end of life for a beautiful rare animal.

[spathiphyllum]

"the vet did not believe a tranquiliser dart was a safe option due to the amount of time the drug takes to work."

So i mean.. they too the life of the animal rather than it potentially taking the life of a childs, or random civies.

[spathiphyllum]

It's like the Harambe situation

[ChillDoubt]

This did sadden me as they’re my favourite animal. Sadly, in such a situation a tranquilliser dart is almost impossible against a stealthy, fast-moving animal in such surroundings.

That’s not to say that I’d like to see someone prosecuted over the circumstances(i.e. how it came to be loose)that led to such a beautiful animal being destroyed.

[Baldric]

Absolutely needless slaughter imo.

[emmie]

I don't care for zoo's anyway, i think that keeping so rare a creature captive is criminal. Maybe the animal was bred in the zoo and knows no other world but what a waste.

[spathiphyllum]

Margaash (the now dead snow leopard) was born at Banham Zoo in Norfolk in May 2010 and was transferred to Dudley Zoo in September 2011, where he lived with three-year-old female Taïga.

[Prudie]

I don't accept this at all. It was still in the zoo confines which would be fully enclosed - plus plenty of time for the dart to work while they spent time trying to entice it back, the vet to come to a decision and the keeper to get his gun.
Animals can be erratic and dangerous while a tranquiliser dart takes effect but it is only minutes. The chance of a captive leopard attacking someone as soon as it was free is also highly unlikely. Wicked shame.

[Barmaid]

How terribly sad. I hate to see when an animal is needlessly put to sleep because of man. I have a mixed view on zoos. The conservation I applaud, the captive animals I abhor.

I am not sure they had any choice tho. With a tranquiliser, they could not be sure they had hit the animal or the tranq discharged. And then there is the problem of how long it may take to be effective. An injured or confused animal is often far more dangerous than anything else.

I am sure the keeper who made the error will feel terrible. Very often these keepers are so very dedicated. A horrible thing all round.

[spathiphyllum]

I thought surely they could get one of those collars on a stick round its neck before they shot a dart in its booty

[hc4361]

I know this zoo very well and have seen the snow leopards many times. The zoo really is in the middle of town, next to a very busy dual carriageway, a pub to one side which leads on to the High Street and market place; and a massive traffic roundabout on the other. There are bus stops right outside the front entrance.
Had this animal got out of the zoo it could have caused chaos.

I hope those responsible for the animal's escape are dealt with accordingly.

[hc4361]

You try catching a domestic cat in a large open space when it doesn't want to be caught, Spath.
Shooting it as they did was the only option.

[Mamyalynne]

It's clear from the article that they had no choice - it's dreadfully sad all the same.

We can never eliminate human error sadly.

[Barmaid]

//You try catching a domestic cat in a large open space when it doesn't want to be caught, Spath. //

Been there, done that, got the Tshirt (and the scars). So imagine an animal not properly socialised with humans, scared, confused and in "flight" mode.......

[hereIam]

Some idiot human doesn't do his job properly and a beautiful endangered animal has to die !!! Pathetic and I've emailed the ruddy zoo to tell them what I think of them ...

[rowanwitch]

Hope they collected some tissue for storage with a view to future cloning as techniques improve.

[spathiphyllum]

They obviously didn't try “here kitty kitty, (kiss noises)”

[NellieMay]

This is so sad. I think that, as an animal species, we natural protect our own. But I don't agree that humans are more important than animals. I basically believe that wild animals should only exist in their own habitat, but it's so difficult when humans are invading their areas and abusing and killing animals for human gain. So I suppose I feel a bit like Barmaid. Hate zoos, but see the need to preserve species, that have basically been threatened by humans, who have developed into the worst species of all.

[Barmaid]

Nellie, I went to a zoo in Tenerife a couple of years back and I cried - particularly at the Orcas. I was appalled and so very upset. A behind the scene tour helped a little, but I still have some real problems with zoos.

[hereIam]

I loath zoos.