Zoo hits out at ‘hypocrisy’ over Jaguar deaths

The Attica Zoological Park at Spata, west of Athens, has accused its critics of “hypocrisy” over the fatal shooting of two rare jaguars that escaped from their enclosure in November.

The incident, which was announced on Saturday, triggered criticism of the zoo by the Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environmental Federation and Giorgos Amyras, a lawmaker for To Potami.

However, the Park said in an announcement Tuesday that the criticism was part of the agenda of “professional animal lovers” and “keyboard activists to defame zoological parks.”

For its part, the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria referred to the incident saying that “lethal force is chosen by zoo authorities or local police (depending on local legislation) when the threat to people is immediate.”

“It should be noted that chemical capture methods such as tranquilizer darts do not represent an entirely reliable method for containing the threat posed by an escape,” it added.