Trespassing dogs kill 28 peacocks in Pakistani zoo

Apr 10, 2007, 8:59 GMT

Islamabad - Stray dogs killed 28 encaged peacocks at a zoo in the Pakistani central city of Lahore after slipping through a ripped fence, media reports said Tuesday.

Two dogs managed to cross into the Lahore Zoo in the early hours of Sunday through an opening left by a collapsed wall and entered the cage unnoticed, because the watchman had left duty to offer morning prayers, the Dawn newspaper said.

By the time the watchman returned the ferocious dogs had killed 28 birds including some precious species, according to the newspaper.

The zoo administration initially tried to hush up the issue by repairing the wall and fence and disposing the dead birds the same day. However, as pressure mounted it suspended the watchman and fined him the equivalent of 1,100 US dollars.

Wildlife experts described the administration's action as insufficient and demanded a thorough probe also including the top officials.

The zookeepers were also criticized for not performing autopsies on the dead peacocks in accordance with accepted procedures.