2 Bears in UK Zoo Are Euthanized after Escaping from Their Enclosure and Attacking a Wild Boar

The Zoological Society of London's Whipsnade Zoo recently made the tough decision to euthanize two of its brown bears when they became a threat to humans and animals alike after escaping their enclosure.

The Zoological Society of London's Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, England, recently lost two of its female bears after the animals made a daring escape from their enclosure and became a possible threat to human life.

According to Malcolm Fitzpatrick, the zoo's chief curator, the bears named Snow White and Sleeping Beauty could escape after a fallen tree created a bridge between their enclosure and the neighboring wild boar habitat.

The animals were considered dangerous after one of them attacked a boar. Fitzpatrick also explained to sources that brown bears were naturally strong predators, which was why the furry creatures needed to be put down.

Since the Whipsnade Zoo's priority is to protect human and animal life, the zookeepers believed the best way to ensure the safety of both parties was to euthanize the bears.

The tragic deaths of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty reportedly occurred on May 21, 2021, despite the quick response of zookeepers, who arrived at the scene within minutes of the bears' escape.

Three leopards made headlines after their escape from the Hangzhou Safari Park in Fuyang, China.

According to Fitzpatrick, there was no other option in that situation but to euthanize the bears. The animals could have remained "unpredictable and aggressive" for at least 20 minutes if they had been tranquilized.

The Whipsnade Zoo's chief curator confessed to sources that he was devastated by the event despite it being a situation the zookeepers have been trained for with regular and rigorous drills.

Although they were prepared to handle it, Fitzpatrick revealed that it was a situation the animal carers hoped never to encounter. However, he was confident that their actions prevented the loss of innocent lives.

Before the deaths of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, three leopards made headlines after they escaped from the Hangzhou Safari Park in Fuyang, China, which was kept secret until locals sighted the animals.

According to sources, the leopards escaped on April 19, but they were publicly announced missing in May after residents began altering officials about the whereabouts of the large cats.

Authorities have reportedly secured two out of the three wild cats, while the last leopard's whereabouts remain unknown. There is also an ongoing investigation to find out how the animals escaped.