Authorities
in India's Uttar Pradesh state have ordered an investigation into the killing
of 31 blackbucks by stray dogs at a zoological park in the city of Kanpur.
Seven
employees, including the director of the zoo, have been suspended in connection
with the incident.
Reports
say a pack of stray dogs entered the zoo on Saturday night and attacked the
blackbucks.
The
blackbuck is a protected species of small antelope in India.
A
zoo official said the dogs had possibly entered the zoo through a gap in the
boundary wall which was broken.
"The
wall had fallen down and was being repaired. But it appears it hadn't been
fixed properly," chief wildlife officer Rupak De told the BBC.
The
dogs attacked the blackbuck's enclosure that was closest to the wall.
Experts
say the small antelopes are "very nervous by nature".
"When
they were attacked, they tried to escape but their enclosure was shut. Some
were then killed by the dogs, many were injured, while others died of
heart-attacks brought on by shock," Mr De said.
Reports
say zoo workers found two dogs eating the carcasses of blackbucks on Sunday
morning.
The
zoo's doctor ordered the guards to kill the dogs.
Officials
say they are treating the incident very seriously as blackbucks are endangered
animals in India.
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