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HOUSTON — One week after a man was arrested on charges he stole animals from the Dallas Zoo, another zoo in Texas said it was targeted by vandals.
Employees at the Houston Zoo discovered a four-inch cut in the mesh surrounding the brown pelican exhibit at the children’s zoo on Monday, the zoo said in an emailed statement. The keepers immediately determined that the animals were secure and had not been hurt. A further examination of all other animal exhibits found no similar vandalism.
In a statement, the zoo said it is “prepared to prosecute to the fullest extent allowed by law anyone who compromises the animals in our care. We will not tolerate the theft or endangerment of any of our animals, big or small. These animals represent their wild counterparts and are entirely dependent upon the expert care of our staff. Actions that threaten that care are unacceptable, dangerous and criminal.”
The zoo contacted the Houston Police Department, which is investigating the case, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The vandalism comes after a rash of crimes at other zoos, and one week after Davion Irvin was arrested on charges he stole two tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo. The monkeys were found in a vacant house in a Dallas suburb.
Dallas Zoo officials are also investigating after an endangered lappet-faced vulture named Pin was found dead on Jan. 21 with a wound, The Associated Press reported. The vulture’s death has not been linked to Irvin.