A wild fox broke into a zoo and mauled 25 flamingos to death - leaving staff devastated. The massacre was discovered during routine checks on Monday morning at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, DC.
Staff arrived to find the slaughter and spotted a fox which escaped shortly after, the zoo said. It is thought the predator got through a baseball-sized hole in the heavy mesh fencing surrounding the enclosure before going on the spree.
The zoo said a Northern pintail duck was also killed, and three other flamingos were hurt and are being treated.
Brandie Smith, the zoo's director, said: "This is a heartbreaking loss for us and everyone who cares about our animals. The barrier we used passed inspection and is used by other accredited zoos across the country.
"Our focus now is on the wellbeing of the remaining flock and fortifying our habitats.”
The birds killed are American flamingos, best known for their reddish-pink colour. The flock, which originally had 74 flamingos, has now been moved to an indoor barn and the ducks are in a covered, secure outdoor space, the zoo said.
