Whipsnade Zoo Shoots Chimp Dead
October 2007

The Captive Animals' Protection Society (CAPS) has called for an independent enquiry after two chimpanzees escaped from Whipsnade Zoo, resulting in one of them being shot dead.

The zoo, in Bedfordshire, was closed temporarily on 29 September after two chimps, Jonnie and Coco, escaped from the enclosure at 10am. Visitors to the zoo were told to stay in their cars or were taken into buildings. Zoo staff managed to capture Coco but Jonnie was shot dead.

The incident is just the latest in a series of animal escapes from zoos in the UK. A chimpanzee was shot dead after escaping his cage at a zoo in Yorkshire in 2005. In February 2007 a wolf escaped from a zoo in Devon and a few months before, a jaguar escaped from his cage at the same zoo.

In a statement CAPS said: "Animals escape from zoos on a frighteningly regular basis, yet most cases are never brought to the public's attention. In none of these cases has there been any independent enquiries into the escapes.

"These animals are just doing what is natural to them, to try and escape an unnatural confinement. Zoos restrict the lives of animals, often resulting in disturbed behaviours and other welfare problems.

"How many of these incidents have to happen before local authorities, which licence zoos, take serious action to protect the public, zoo staff and animals?"

CAPS has also asked that all reports into the escape and shooting are made public. In particular we have questioned what attempts were made to capture Jonnie alive before the decision to shoot him dead.

Whipsnade Zoo is owned by the Zoological Society, which also owns London Zoo. In March 2007, it was revealed that zoo inspection reports for London Zoo warned that perimeter fencing at the zoo was not adequate enough to prevent animals such as tigers escaping if they managed to get out of their individual enclosures.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

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