Colchester Zoo last night confirmed that a wolf which escaped into nearby fields had been destroyed.
The wolf was the final to have sprung from its enclosure at Colchester Zoo yesterday morning.
At 7.30am yesterday staff at the zoo discovered the fence around their Timber wolves’ enclosure had been damaged and five of the six animals living there had escaped.
It is not known at this stage how the damage occurred despite the fence being routinely checked on a daily basis.
A statement from the zoo, in Maldon Road, said: “One of the wolves returned immediately of its own accord and one was darted and recaptured.
“Unfortunately,an anaesthetic dart takes 15 minutes to take effect and may not work at all in a stressed animal so two wolves that had left the perimeter of the zoo had to be shot. They are wild animals and in an unpredictable situation they would have posed a risk to the public.
“The remaining wolf has now been located and very sadly also had to be destroyed.
“We have obviously had a very difficult day and would be grateful for your consideration. We have nothing further to add at this time.”
The Essex Police helicopter and police ground units helped to locate the final animal, which was believed to have been in the fields around Maldon Road not far from the zoo.
Keepers at the zoo are said to be devastated at the loss of the wolves.
Members of the public were asked to stay away from the area around the zoo while the search was ongoing.
In August members of the public were warned not to approach a red river hog which had escaped from the zoo and last year an owl was eaten by a lion after it flew into their enclosure.
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