EXCLUSIVE: Camperdown wolves escaped enclosure TWICE before being put down

Four young wolves at Camperdown Wildlife Centre in Dundee escaped their enclosure twice before being put down over fears they could attack the public, The Courier can reveal.

The pack was euthanised earlier this year after becoming stressed when alpha male Loki failed to recover from surgery on an abdominal injury.

The decision led to criticism from members of the public, who questioned why the otherwise healthy wolves could not have been saved.

It later emerged that some people had threatened workers at the zoo, which is run by Leisure and Culture Dundee.

The Courier has now obtained minutes of a meeting of the zoo’s ethics committee, which details the process staff went through to come to the decision to euthanise the animals.

And it reveals that the wolves – Bear, 6, and five-year-olds James, Frank and Fenrir – had breached their enclosure on two occasions while Loki was unwell.

That led to concerns they could attack visitors to the centre.

Timeline of events leading to deaths of Camperdown wolves

The ethics committee met on Monday March 27.

According to the minutes, supplied to The Courier through a freedom of information request, five people appear to have been present at the meeting.

The document reveals the following timeline of events:

March 15

The wolves were “engaged in a training session” during which Loki was “happy” when he suddenly walked away and did some stretches, “indicating abdominal discomfort”.

A vet was contacted and Loki was later seen to be lying on his side with “exaggerated movements of the abdomen”.

The vet arrived late that afternoon but was unable to dart Loki because his offspring were too close.

Keepers came out the enclosure at 5.30pm as the youngsters were “showing signs of stress” and returned at 6pm, when they successfully darted Loki.

The small tear in Loki’s intestine had started to leak and cause him discomfort.

This was repaired and closed up, and Loki was returned to the enclosure but confined to his house overnight.

March 16-21

Loki received and took his medication but on the sixth day of his recovery there was “what looked like a flap of bloody skin protruding from the surgical wound”.

The vet was called and plans for an operation put into place.

This included dosing each wolf with trazodone and gabapentin, including Loki, in an attempt to keep them calm.

This worked for “a couple of hours but did not have a lasting effect”.

March 22-23

The minutes reveal that, following Loki’s second operation, the wolves “breached their enclosure” on both March 22 and 23.

It is not confirmed how this happened or whether any members of the public were present at the time.

They were returned to the enclosure but “it was clear that without Loki, the remaining wolves would either damage themselves on fences or injure members of the public and dogs”.

It goes on to say: “One incident on March 23 was to break through an electric fence that was carrying 8,500 volts.”

March 27

The minutes show Loki again had a “flap” hanging from his surgical wound.

The stitches on his injury had failed and “he would need to be euthanised”.

Alternatives considered for remaining wolves

The report shows that staff at the zoo then considered the options for the remaining four young wolves, given Loki’s role in providing “stability” to the group.

These were:

• Leave them in the existing enclosure: This was not seen as an option as they had already broken out of it twice.
• Leave them in the existing enclosure and sedate them ethically: This was deemed “not applicable” as the wolves were so stressed and not approaching the keepers, even for food.
• Move them to the bear enclosure: This was not an option as the enclosure was “not large enough to accommodate four wolves and three bears”. They considered shutting the bears in their house but there was a “real danger of them trashing it” and uncertainty over how long they could leave this arrangement in place.
• Move them to the old wolf enclosure: Given this was now half the size it once was, due to the anteaters living in the top half, this was not feasible. There was also deemed to be a “danger of escapes, putting other animals, public, keepers and dog-walkers at risk”. It was also pointed out that the wolves would be “automatically shot” if they escaped the zoo grounds.

Given these factors, the decision was taken to euthanise the pack.

In a statement to The Courier, Judy Dobbie, the managing director of Leisure and Culture Dundee, said: “I would again emphasise that the wildlife centre staff would not have taken this step without considering whether there were any alternatives.

“It was with great regret that the decision was taken to euthanise the wolves.

“I understand the public’s upset but I would also emphasise that the staff themselves were also upset by this very unfortunate turn of events.

“External experts and the Scottish Government Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Delivery, animal health and welfare division, were satisfied with our process.”

Scot Govt: No further action required

A Scottish Government spokesperson told The Courier: “We acknowledge that this was a sad and tragic incident, and that it was a very difficult decision for the staff at the Camperdown Wildlife Centre to make.

“We understand that detailed discussions between keepers, veterinarians and the centre’s ethical committee took place regarding both the wolves’ welfare and potential solutions to reopen the centre and that all options were considered carefully.

“We are satisfied that the staff decided on the best course of action in what was an extremely challenging situation and that no further action is required in this matter.”