Seal Punched By Zookeeper
A seal has been punched in the face by a zookeeper, after the worker struggled to handle the animal as they attempted to weigh it.
The South American fur seal started to fight back when various members of staff looked to place it on a weighing machine, which was all part of a routine health check.
A senior animal keeper at Bristol Zoo Gardens is then alleged to have punched the seal in the hope that it would eventually keep him still.
The employee is now being investigated, after the zoo decided to launch a report into the incident.
The head vet at the zoo has now examined each of the seals, and the animal that is believe to have been assaulted has already made a full recovery. Every seal at the enclosure has been kept on show despite the investigation.
A spokeswoman for Bristol Zoo Gardens, which was founded in 1835, remarked, “A senior animal keeper at Bristol Zoo Gardens has been suspended pending further investigation of an alleged animal welfare incident that has recently come to light.”
She then added, “As this is an ongoing investigation, Bristol Zoo is currently unable to discuss the details of the incident. However, the zoo has acted rapidly and comprehensively by instigating an immediate, formal and extensive investigation in line with its internal policies and legal welfare requirements.”
The spokeswoman went into further detail, remarking, “Michelle Barrows, head of veterinary services, has examined the seal family and all individuals are behaving normally, engaging happily and playfully with keepers and guests in their enclosure.”
She then concluded, “Bristol Zoo would like to make it very clear that it has a zero tolerance towards such behaviour and takes its commitment to the highest standards of animal welfare and conservation seriously.”
Do you think the zookeeper should be fired for punching the seal?
