Borth Wildlife Animal Kingdom reopens after lynx deaths Published duration 10 February 2018

A zoo which closed to visitors after the deaths of two of its lynx four months ago has reopened.

Borth Wild Animal Kingdom in Ceredigion shut in October after a Eurasian lynx escaped and was "humanely destroyed" by the council.

A second lynx died days later when she became caught in a catch-pole as staff tried to move her into a different enclosure ahead of an inspection.

A court case is due to be held in April over keeping certain dangerous animals.

The zoo is contesting one of the 120 conditions imposed by Ceredigion council following the deaths and the case surrounds "category one" animals such as cats, crocodiles, large snakes and monkeys.

Dean and Tracey Tweedy bought the 10-acre (4 hectare) zoo for £625,000 in 2016.

On its Facebook page, the owners said they were able to reopen sooner than anticipated "largely thanks to a Herculean effort by our staff".

image caption Borth Zoo thanked staff for a 'Herculean effort'

But they wrote that there was still a lot of work to do "so please don't expect a miracle transformation".

They said their work had focused on the enclosures "to give the animals homes that are safe, secure and fit for purpose".

An earlier plan to reopen on 1 December was quashed after the zoo failed to secure a firearms licence from Dyfed-Powys Police.