Fox massacres 14 penguins at Melbourne zoo

4 Nov, 2015 10:05

A fox has caused pandemonium at a zoo in Australia as it managed to break into a penguin enclosure and kill 14 of the Antarctic birds. Staff at the Melbourne zoo made the grisly discovery on Wednesday morning.

The fox attack managed to wipe out almost half the zoo’s penguin population, as only 15 birds were able to survive the carnage. They have undergone checks by veterinarians and been moved to a more secure area. 

The manager of Wild Seas, Justin Valentine says that the penguins are settling into their new temporary accommodation, while the zoo is undertaking measures to make sure that the fox does not strike again.

"The zoo is working with a fox control expert, and he will be coming in to offer further advice," he said in a statement. 

Valentine said that foxes are commonly found in the suburbs of Melbourne, but they are not often able to get into the grounds of the zoo. 

Zoo staff have had no luck in tracking down the fox, which is still at large.