Shooting of chimp was right (From Gazette & Herald)

Shooting of chimp was right

THE chimpanzee which escaped from its enclosure at Flamingo Land had to be shot because it posed a threat to the health and safety of staff there, councillors were told.

Paul Crossley, Ryedale District Council's principal environmental health officer, said the zoo management were anxious to retrieve the animal by using a tranquilising dart after it was thought to have climbed a wall and used metal doors to swing itself "in one leap" onto the roof of the enclosure.

Three teams of zoo staff using 4x4 vehicles had toured the theme park in "very foggy" conditions to locate the chimp, which was eventually found on one of the river rides.

Mr Crossley told councillors on Thursday that the police were alerted, and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) brought in a leading zoo vet, who had said he was satisfied with what the zoo staff had done after the chimp escaped.

Mr Crossley said the incident had been "a most distressing experience" for Flamingo Land workers. Coun Elizabeth Shields, the chairman of the council's community services committee, said: "We do sympathise with the zoo keepers."

Coun Di Keal said she was "surprised" that more attempts had not been made to knock the chimp out, but Mr Crossley replied that it could take seven to 10 minutes for a tranquiliser to take effect and the chimp had reacted "very aggressively" when attempts were made to fire a dart at it.

He said: "Clearly the zoo itself has done everything possible to check on security of all animals, not just the chimps, since the incident."

All the recommendations made by an independent zoo inspector had been carried out, said Mr Crossley.

After the meeting the council issued a statement, saying the councillors backed efforts to increase security at the zoo.

Coun Shields said: "The committee had an extensive debate regarding the incident and are satisfied that the efforts already made by Flamingo Land to improve security at the chimpanzee's outdoor enclosure are sufficient."

The committee agreed to accept the recommendations of the independent zoo inspector, following a study he made on February 1, and noted the actions taken by Flamingo Land's management.

Updated: 15:02 Wednesday, April 12, 2006