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NO SURVIVOR: Dead kangaroos lie under construction materials. Police will begin investigations of the crime scene on Monday. Photo: VG-tipser / Tangen Dyrepark
On Saturday morning, one of the animal handlers had to feed the animals. Later, the house they were staying in was burned down. – There was nothing we could do, says Tangen Animal Park General Manager Erik Nielsen.
From night to Saturday, a small building at the Tangen Zoo caught fire. Seven wallaby kangaroos died.
Tangen Zoo General Manager Erik Nielsen tells VG that it was one of the animal handlers who discovered the fire.
– I had to run in the morning and feed the animals in the park. By then the house was already on fire, so there was nothing we could do, he says.
The house that burned was about 45 square meters. All the animals that stayed there perished. Currently, dead kangaroos are found under construction materials.
– Of course it is very sad and affects those who work here and those who work with them daily, says Nielsen.
VERY SAD: Tangen Animal Park General Manager Erik Nielsen says the seven ken Photo: VG-tipser
The zoo is located about 30 minutes south of Hamar and caught the seven wallaby kangaroos four years ago.
Name wallaby It is used for kangaroos that are smaller than “normal” kangaroos.
– We got the animals from Finland. There were some leftover animals from the park we got them from, Nielsen says.
He adds that Wallaby kangaroos are not a particularly endangered species.
As usual, the animals have had the opportunity to enter and leave the house. But lately it has been so cold that the kangaroos have been locked inside the house at night.
– It’s too cold for them to be outside. They can withstand freezing temperatures, but when they drop below minus 25, as it’s been here for a long time, they need to be indoors in the afternoon and evening, Nielsen explains.
NO SURVIVOR: Dead kangaroos lie under construction materials. Police will begin investigations of the crime scene on Monday. Photo: VG-tipser
Cause of fire unknown
The police were at the scene, took some photos and created a case. The cause of the fire is still unknown. More investigations will take place at the crime scene on Monday.
– There has been an electrical system inside the building and it may have been related to the fire, says operations manager Per Solberg.
Nielsen believes the house burned down overnight.
– We go for a walk to look for the animals every afternoon, he explains.
STRONG SMOKE: One of the park’s animal handlers discovered the fire Saturday morning. On Saturday afternoon there was still smoke around the construction materials. Photo: VG-tipser
Nielsen claims there were no fire safety measures around the building that caught fire.
– There was only one small house in the park that was not near other houses. It has only been used as a shelter for animals, so they can enter there in bad weather, he explains.
– No significant financial impact
2020, with the crown and accompanying restrictions, has been difficult for several of those who run zoos.
However, Nielsen is not concerned that the loss of the kangaroos will have a major financial impact on the operation of the Tangen Zoo.
– We had a pretty good season this summer, and we hope it will be this year too, he concludes.
