AN under-fire zoo is facing calls to close after it emerged a second lynx has died following a ‘handling error’.

Just days after Lillith the lynx was shot and killed after escaping from Borth Wild Animal Kingdom in West Wales, the zoo confirmed a second creature was accidentally asphyxiated after staff used a dog noose to move it to a different enclosure.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the zoo confirmed that Nilly, an adult female who was unrelated to Lillith but shared an enclosure with her, had died after the decision was taken to move the animal to ‘a more suitable enclosure’ when they were give 24 hours’ notice of an inspection.

Borth Wild Animal Kingdom said: ‘Unfortunately, there seems to have been a terrible handling error where it seems she twisted in the catch-pole and became asphyxiated.

‘An internal investigation is under way, and a key member of staff has been unable to work since the ordeal as they are truly devastated by what has happened.’

Lynx UK Trust has criticised the zoo for having ‘no understanding of wild animal behaviour or welfare needs’.

Chief scientific adviser to the trust, Dr Paul O’Donoghue, said: ‘What if it had been Borth’s crocodile that escaped? Or their two lions? Their leopard almost escaped a few years ago when its cage door was left open; how long are we going to let these hobby zoos run by amateurs keep operating? Will it take the death of a human for someone to take action?’

Lillith, an 18-month-old Eurasian lynx and twice the size of a domestic cat, was killed on Friday after the local authority received advice from a specialist veterinary surgeon that the risk to public well-being had increased from moderate to severe.

Park staff said that the animal, which had been missing since since October 29, did not pose a threat to humans and that they were ‘devastated and outraged’ by her death.

Dean and Tracy Tweedy took over Borth Wild Animal Kingdom less than six months ago.

In a statement they said they knew that there were serious issues with how some of the animals were housed and had been working hard to make ‘vast improvements’.

It is currently closed until further notice.