Breaking! Three Chimpanzees Are Shot & Killed After Escaping From Their Enclosure At A Swedish Zoo

Panic and outrage ensue at Furuvik, a so-called amusement and wildlife park situated outside of Gävle, Sweden, after five chimpanzees escaped from their enclosure this week.

According to a post on the Furuvik Facebook page, staff had to “euthanize” three of the park’s seven chimpanzees because the situation could have quickly escalated into a life-threatening situation. The definition of “euthanize” is one of contention.

Many concerned animal advocates are questioning why the chimps were not darted and subsequently returned to their enclosure. Shockingly, instead, they were shot and killed.

In an attempt to explain, officials at Furuvik noted that, “to shoot with an anesthetic arrow, you need to be very close to the animal. This, combined with the fact that it can take up to 10 minutes for the anesthetic to take effect.” Officials stated that this can pose a threat to the public.

As per a statement posted on the park’s website, last night the four remaining chimpanzees were reportedly inside the chimpanzee house, but not locked in their enclosures.

“Our emergency team is guarding the chimpanzee house, where the four remaining chimpanzees reside. They are in the house, but not confined in their enclosure. This means that we cannot yet allow people to move freely in the park and we are still on full alert,” stated the park. “Right now, we are working to get an overview of where in the house the chimpanzees are, and then work to get them into their enclosure safely.”

While park officials do not know exactly how the chimpanzees escaped, they plan to conduct a full investigation and take all necessary measures to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again.

“This is an extremely tragic situation for all involved, both animals and people. Our thoughts go out to all employees, our animals, and everyone who cares for our animals. The grief is extremely heavy,” stated Furuvik.

While no people were hurt, this tragically did turn into a life-threatening situation as three innocent animals, who should never be confined for the entertainment of humans in the first place, are now dead.

End Captivity!