Inspectors put zoo’s practices under scrutiny

 A zoo where 500 animals have died in four years is now being investigated over its practices after peacocks caught diseases, monkeys escaped and a lemur was seen climbing into a pram.

Council inspectors uncovered a number of worrying welfare findings during a two-week inspection at South Lakes Safari zoo in Dalton, Cumbria. They also found prairie dogs had been digging next to the fence which separates the zoo from the home of David Gill, the former owner.

The council’s licensing regulatory committee will meet next Thursday to consider whether the zoo is complying with its licence conditions.