A lynx that escaped a wildlife park in Wales at the end of October has been found and shot dead over fears it could attack humans.
Lillith, a Eurasion lynx, made her way out of Borth Wild Animal Kingdom in Ceredigion towards the end of last month and was twice the size of a domestic cat.
Despite only being one-and-a-half-years-old and not being an immediate threat to public, people were warned not to approach her.
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Credit: Borth Wild Animal Kingdom
The worry was that while Lillith would be scavenging for food it may attack a passerby who may try to engage or shoo her away.
According to reports, the lynx had been sighted on a number of occasions since October 29, as her keepers and a police helicopter searched for her.
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After unsuccessfully recapturing her, the decision was made by the local council to 'humanely destroy' the wild animal after the risk to public increased.
Aberystwyth central councillor Ceredig Davies shared a statement regarding the decision on Facebook, which said: "It is with deep regret that Ceredigion County Council reports on the humane destruction of the Eurasian Lynx that recently escaped from Borth Wild Animal Kingdom.
"Despite exhaustive multi agency efforts to recapture the class A animal, the multi-agency group responding to the incident received additional advice late on Friday afternoon, 10 November, from a specialist veterinary surgeon that the risk to public well-being had increased from moderate to severe due to the continued failure of the Wild Animal Kingdom to recapture the Lynx.
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"The safety of the public was paramount and therefore once the Lynx had strayed over to a populated area of the community it was necessary to act decisively."
Despite this many people questioned why it wasn't shot with a sedative and then taken away from the public, or indeed why killing it was necessary, given that there are next to none recordings of a lynx attacking a human.
However, officials said that even though it appeared harmless, it has sharp teeth and claws and will attack if cornered or trapped.
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Councillor Ceredig Davies updated people on the subject after he received a number of messages from angry people.
He wrote on Facebook: "Since posting the press release put out by Ceredigion County Council I have received a number of messages and e-mails questioning what has taken place.
"I was not party to the action taken, having said that as a councillor I and others councillors can not absolve ourselves of the actions taken by the authority.
"My expectations and what I will be asking for is that following a full investigation, a report will be presented to councillors on how this unfortunate animal met its end in this way."
Featured Image Credit: Borth Wild Animal Kingdom