An animal park has killed off its European grey wolf pack after severe infighting broke out, resulting in multiple injuries.
Wildwood Trust, near Herne Bay in Kent, said it had been left with no alternative but to kill all five animals, despite two being unhurt, because it was feared that they would all end up turning against each other.
The pack comprised a dominant pair, Nuna and Odin, and their three male offspring, Minimus, Tiberius and Maximus, born in May 2018.
But fights broke out between the pack in recent weeks, with initial aggression from the female wolf “very quickly spreading to the rest of the group”.
The trust said it would be irresponsible to re-home the animals because wolves live in packs. It added that the decision to euthanise all five had been made in consultation with experts.
Staff said they could no longer safely enter the enclosure, and claimed veterinary care had become impossible.
A spokesman for the trust said: “Due to the volatility within the pack, our team has been unable to safely intervene or provide the level of veterinary care required. It’s devastating for everybody here.”
Elizabeth Davenport, the campaign manager at Animal Aid, said she was “shocked” by the trust’s “admission their team was unable to provide the level of care required”.
She added: “Any environment where an animal is held in captivity is a roll of the dice.”
She warned that the incident could encourage further euthanisations from conservation charities that were unable to manage aggression effectively.
“Sadly, these kinds of shocking news stories will always occur as long as animals are kept in captivity,” she added.
“These systems – whether it’s animal parks, safari parks, or zoos – cannot meet their needs, stripping them of their autonomy, social structures, and the space they need to flourish.
“The result is profound suffering and complex behavioural needs, as seen with the wolves of Wildwood.”
In 2014, five lions were killed by Longleat Safari Park after a similar outbreak of violent behaviour was caused by over-breeding and genetic defects.
The Wiltshire park put down a lioness and her cubs because they displayed “odd aggressive behaviour”.