Where's Ace Ventura when you need him..

[Steff]

Who Is Killing the Animals at Sao Paulo Zoo?

Wed Feb 11,10:00 AM ET Add Oddly Enough - Reuters to My Yahoo!

 

 

By Paula Lace

 

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - The zoo in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo is facing a murder mystery worthy of an Agatha Christie novel.

 

 

 

Since late January, the zoo, one of the most modern in Latin America, has lost 10 animals, including an elephant -- fatally poisoned by what police are calling a "serial animal killer."

 

 

So far, laboratory tests have shown the animals were killed with sodium fluoroacetate, a banned rat poison.

 

 

According to the Sao Paulo State University, where autopsies were performed, the poison caused the animals to stop breathing and led to cardiac arrest. What troubles investigators is that tests on the animals' food and water could find no trace of the poison.

 

 

The first animal to die was Tony, a chimpanzee. Since then, two other monkeys, an elephant, three dromedaries and three tapirs, including a newborn, have joined the casualty list.

 

 

"We are deeply saddened by these events. Many of the workers have been with the zoo for several years and spend more time with the animals than with their own families," said Fatima Valente Roberti, a biologist at the zoo.

 

 

"We cannot fathom what could possibly lead a person to commit such aggression."

 

 

Fluoroacetate is colorless, odorless and extremely potent. One gram is enough to kill an elephant. It can be easily produced but is commercially available only in the United States and Australia.

 

 

Police have been closely watching zoo workers and visitors but all they can tell is that the killer was someone who had a good knowledge of chemistry and biology and who also knew well the zoo's daily routine.

 

 

Police have not ruled out any possibility, including visitors who come to the park at unusual hours. The Sao Paulo zoo has recently opened at night for the public to observe the animals' nocturnal habits.

 

 

Management has increased security measures, including hourly visits to each of the zoo's 3,200 animals.

 

 

The zoo's executive director, Paulo Magalhaes Bresan, said this was the first time in its 46-year history that animals had been killed by poisoning.

 

 

"We were not prepared for this kind of action. Our security personnel was very well trained to deal with visitors, or even possible animal escapes, but we never expected this to happen."

[SuperSteve]

Maybe it's that Cubs minor leaguer who killed that bird last year?

[Pale Hose Jon]

Since late January, the zoo, one of the most modern in Latin America, has lost 10 animals, including an elephant -- fatally poisoned by what police are calling a "serial animal killer."

Wow what a deush bag, get a fricken life, i mean go kill some bugs you dirty bastard

 

I am starting up a roadtrip to go find this guy and kill him