Zoo door faulty during panda near-miss

A door in the panda enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo was faulty when a zookeeper came within inches of being mauled, it has been revealed.

A zoo investigation into the nearmiss on July 13 last year stated that “one of the slides in the panda area was not closing properly and required maintenance”. The zoo, home to the UK’S only giant pandas, uses the doors to move pandas around the enclosure when keepers need access.

In August this year, staff leaked details of the almost fatal accident claiming the zoo was in “crisis”.

A report by the zoo’s licensing authority, City of Edinburgh Council, found the enclosure had maintenance issues at the time and that staff had not fully adhered to safety procedures. It said it was “clear” that if the procedures had been followed the incident would not have occurred.

Several changes have since been put in place including a “buddy system” for pairs working in the enclosure.