Editor

About 30 months ago a lynx escaped from the Borth Wild Animal Kingdom.

Sadly the lynx was shot and killed. Since then local farmers like myself have been assured by the county council – licensers of the zoo and implementers of the conditional requirements for the zoo to function - that it is safe for the visitors and local residents. After the escape of the lynx both the council and the police were convinced that no animal would be able to escape from the zoo again. However, on 25 March two lechwe (African antelope) escaped.

As owners of the zoo they have a duty of care for the animals. Mr Tweedy, owner, volunteered to be co-opted on to Borth Community Council as a member. As a council committee member, I suggest he has a greater duty of care to the residents and visitors of Borth and to his staff working at the zoo. In their notice they state that “The female is not dangerous, the male however, has big horns, but is not aggressive”, this indicates that the male is in fact dangerous.

They also stated in their post on Facebook, that they are waiting for their dart team to arrive. Why do they not have on-site personnel, 24 hours a day, that are able to tranquillise dangerous animals to protect visitors and staff should the animals escape immediately?

It must be surely the time for the county council and community council to demand that personnel are constantly on site that are able to tranquillise any escaping animal, before it opens again. Also to take a real objective investigation into the management of the zoo.

Phil Turner-Wright, Bryndderwen Farm Dol-y-Bont

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