STAFF at Cotswold Wildlife Park have insisted they were left with 'no option' but to shoot dead an escaped wolf.

The wolf, named Ember, managed to crawl out of its fence and into the perimeter of the Burford park before being seen by a member of the public.

There are now fears her cubs, born in June, might not survive.

A Eurasian wolf, the three-year-old was found walking towards the A361 and was shot by a member of staff after the possibility of tranquilising the animal was ruled out.

Cotswold Wildlife Park managing director Reggie Heyworth said the energiser which powered the wolf’s electric fence had failed and that the equipment used to test the energiser had also been faulty.

He said: “It’s bad enough having one equipment failure, but that should be picked up in testing. When that testing mechanism is also at fault you’ve got an exceptionally unlucky set of circumstances, and exceptionally rare.

“I’ve been running this place for over 20 years and this was one of the worst days we’ve ever had, but I’m really proud of how the animal capture team reacted.

“It’s incredibly sad and I just hope her cubs survive so that her her legacy will live on.”

Oxford Mail:

It is understood the wolf squeezed through the faulty fence and out onto agricultural land.

Ember was last seen by a keeper at about 9.45am on Friday and the next time she was spotted she was outside the site at 11am.

The incident finished at about midday when the team made the decision to shoot her. 

Although the park remained open as the incident happened away from public areas, visitors were told not to go outside.

Mr Heyworth said: “There was no way of using the tranquiliser as they couldn’t get close enough to take a safe and effective shot. There were no other options open.

“Under the Zoo Licensing Act European wolves are Category 1 dangerous wild animals. Strictly speaking you have to shoot it. You have no choice. With a Category 1 animal there’s no room for doubt and you can’t take risks.”

Oxford Mail:

Earlier this year Ember had her first litter of cubs, the first to be born at the park in its 47-year history.

The five Eurasian wolf cubs will now be raised without their mother, who was born in Sweden and only arrived here in Oxfordshire in October last year.

Mr Heyworth said he hoped the wolf’s mate, Ash, would raise their cubs alone as part of the feeding process, which includes regurgitation, involves passing on vital antibodies from parent to young. He said only time will tell whether this would happen.

A full investigation is being carried out at Cotswold Wildlife Park and it has thanked its visitors for cooperating and their understanding.