Zoo where a young keeper and almost 500 animals died over four years faces closure by council

A ZOO is facing calls to close down after nearly 500 animals died in less than four years, including a tortoise that was electrocuted and a lemur that found its way into the wolf enclosure.

Also among the animals to have died was a tiger who mauled a keeper to death.

The incidents have emerged in a report by inspectors that has been pre- sented to Barrow council ahead of a decision on whether to approve the zoo’s application to renew its licence.

South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton, Cumbria, was fined for health and safety breaches last year over the death of Sarah McClay, 24, who suffered deep puncture wounds to her body inflicted by a Sumatran tiger.

The animal was not put down at the time, at the request of Ms McClay’s family, but he was later put to sleep, apparently because of his age.

However the report shows that the zoo’s vet was instructed to kill the big cat by the zoo’s founder, David Gill, with “no notes as to reason”.

The documents submitted to the council have details of incidents between December 2013 and last Septem- ber, including a jaguar that chewed off its own paw; seven healthy lion cubs and five baboons “euthanised” because there was no room for them; and a rhino crushed to death by its partner.

Maddy Taylor, the campaigns officer at the Captive Animal Protection Society, said: “The findings at South Lakes Safari Zoo are some of the worst we have ever come across in 60 years …We urge the local authority to take action by closing this appalling zoo down.”

Mr Gill is still the licence holder but passed on responsibility for managing the zoo to Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd at the end of 2016.

Lawyers for Mr Gill told the council that he had stepped away from all trading and management activities connected with the zoo. They added that Mr Gill was “absolutely committed to exiting the zoo” Karen Brewer, the chief executive of Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd, said animals in the zoo were treated with respect and provided with environments that focused on their “physical and behavioural needs”.

Inspectors have recommended that Barrow council refuses to grant a new licence.