Four kangaroos were discovered mauled to death a few weeks after arriving in their new home at a zoo.
The new exhibit featuring Lotta, Zali, Paula and Cooper, had recently opened at Luckenwalde Zoo, Germany.
During the last few weeks more than 6,000 people queued to catch a glimpse of the Aussie hoppers.
But earlier this month the kangaroos were found dead by a 19-year-old trainee after a fox broke into their enclosure and bit their necks, sparking tearful scenes.
Zoo director Philipp Herrmann said: “We quickly found the tracks of a large fox, which we followed to the break-in point.
“The moat froze overnight and the fox took advantage of the fact, entering the kangaroo enclosure via the neighbouring deer enclosure.
“While the pain will remain with us for a long time, we will now work to improve the animal welfare at the facility.
“New challenges will soon be introduced at our zoo to improve animal husbandry, such as the construction of the walk-in Australia aviary in 2023.”
Police officers arrived on the scene and managed to corner the fox and a licensed marksman was then called in to shoot the predator dead.
Mr Herrmann added: “For the entire staff, this loss is incredibly tearful.
“Responsible animal keeper Martina, who is currently on vacation, was informed and she could not hold back her tears and anger.
“After three very hard and difficult years in which we laid the foundation and the kangaroos were the first reward for us and the incredibly loyal support of visitors.”
In October the zoo sent a message to visitors explaining the number of animal species had halved in recent years owing to a reduction in animal births and deaths owing to old age.
Earlier this week a heart-warming moment where a mother chimpanzee reunited with her newborn at a zoo was captured on video.
The newest member of its animal family was welcomed by Sedgewick Zoo in Kansas, when the mother gave birth to male baby by C-Section.
In the footage the mother, called Mahale is excited to see and cuddle her son after two days apart because of birthing complications during her labour.
A worker at the zoo praised the mum's new arrival in the short video which was posted on social media saying: "Good job, Mahale!"
The baby animal was named Kucheza meaning “play” in Swahili, Kansas-based zoo workers said.
