Snow leopard shot dead after keeper leaves his cage open
Margaash A RARE snow leopard was shot dead by a marksman after it wandered out of its compound when a keeper left the enclosure door open.
The zoo insisted it was too risky to use a tranquilliser dart as Margaash could have strayed into woods before it took effect.
But the explanation failed to placate animal lovers who sent angry messages to Dudley Zoo in the West Midlands.
Titch Larson wrote: “A tranquilliser dart should have been used. Useless idiots.”
Zoe Durnin added: “I don’t think it was necessary to kill that poor animal.”
Eight-year-old Margaash lived female snow leopard Taiga.
Zoo boss Derek Grove said: “Efforts to with persuade Margaash to return failed and as the animal was close to woodland and dark was approaching, the vet did not believe a dart was a safe option.”
Snow leopards live in central Asian mountains and attacks on humans are unknown. Up to 6,390 are left in the wild.