French zoo where nine wolves escaped during visiting hours and had to be gunned down in front of visitors is CLOSED
A zoo in southern France has been closed down temporarily by local authorities after a pack of wolves escaped from their enclosure and roamed around the site during visiting hours.
A total of nine wolves escaped from their enclosure last weekend at Trois Vallées Zoo in Montredon-Labessonnie, roughly 60 miles east of Toulouse.
Four wolves were shot dead due to 'dangerous behaviour', before the five remaining animals were anaesthetised and returned to their enclosures by local officials who were called to the scene.
The animals destroyed safety hatches and climbed a fence, but did not manage to escape the zoo's boundaries.
Local official Fabien Chollet said that the zoo was evacuated successfully and that there were no injuries.
A total of nine wolves escaped from their enclosures at a zoo in southern France last weekend, four of which were shot dead due to 'dangerous behaviour' (stock pic)
The wolves escaped from their enclosures at Trois Vallées Zoo in Montredon-Labessonnie, roughly 60 miles east of Toulouse (pictured)
'There were not many people in the zoo at the time and at no time was the public in immediate danger,' said Chollet.
However the 'security problem' meant that the zoo now needed to be closed until the issues were rectified, he added.
The park's owner Sauveur Ferrara said that the wolves, who had only recently arrived at the site escaped after destroying security installations but never went outside the zoo itself.
'Due to the abnormal and dangerous behaviour of some of them, four wolves were sadly killed by the park personnel,' he added, emphasising that members of the public had immediately been evacuated from the park.
The park had previously been ordered to close in October 2020 over security measures which Barbara Pompili, France's Minister Minister of the Ecological Transition, said posed concerns for both animal welfare and staff safety.
But the order was lifted by a court just days later, and the zoo remained open.
The Trois Vallées Zoo website and social media page announced that the site plans to reopen in mid January after 'urgent works' are carried out.
The park, spanning more than 60 hectares, holds more than 600 animals including lions, monkeys and flamingos.
The park's owner Sauveur Ferrara said that the wolves, who had only recently arrived at the site escaped after destroying security installations but never went outside the zoo itself (stock pic)
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