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Chester Zoo is taking legal action against vloggers who filmed themselves breaking in where they allegedly damaged property and startled an endangered species of zebra causing an injury.

At one stage the ‘overnight challenge’ video, posted on YouTube, reveals three of the thrill-seekers climbing over a fence into an animal enclosure in the dark.

Moments later the young men, who were carrying torches, run away believing they have disturbed a rhino.

It appears the group, numbering about half a dozen, was spotted by a security guard who gave chase but they got away.

Zoo chief operating officer Jamie Christon condemned the actions of the video bloggers, or vloggers, saying they showed no regard for their own safety or that of the animals.

Legal action

He said: “We’re aware of the small group who trespassed onto the zoo site a couple of weeks ago and we are taking legal action.

“There was damage to zoo property including a set of customer toilets following the trespass. It appears that the group also startled a Grevy’s zebra, an endangered species who we care for as part of a Europe wide breeding programme, as the animal had an injury to its hind leg following the trespass.

“Thankfully the animal has since been making a good recovery, helped by our senior keepers and veterinary teams who were quickly on site.

“With over 15,000 animals in our care, including large carnivores and predators, trespass onto the site is both unacceptable and extremely dangerous. The members of the group appear to have little or no regard for their own safety, or the safety and welfare of the animals.

“We condemn the irresponsible actions of the group and are taking the matter extremely seriously.”

The video, one of many in a series showing dangerous stunts, begins with two young men on the roof of a high rise building in Manchester city centre.

Next the action switches to a swimming pool where an individual from the male-only group disrupts a tournament by jumping from the top of a 10m diving board as people swim below – potentially endangering the swimmers and apparently hurting his own knees in the fall.

That evening a car journey is filmed to Chester Zoo where the gang meet up after dark before scaling a high gate. Signs for the animal enclosures can be seen by torchlight such as the ‘Monkeys entrance’, black rhinos and meerkats.

At one point a couple of the vloggers climb over a fence into an enclosure and gingerly approach an animal in the darkness then make a hasty retreat thinking it is a rhino, although in fact it was a zebra.

The video picks up signs for the chimpanzee house and the animals can be heard in the background. A giraffe’s head can also be seen in the torchlight.

The vloggers decide to scarper as the animals are making so much noise they feel sure it will attract the attention of on-site security. Safely back at home, the main video blogger concludes unapologetically: “The whole vlog was a madness, broken knees and breaking into the zoo, what more could you want?”