Owl killed by tiger at Minnesota Zoo in April

An owl at the Minnesota Zoo was killed by a tiger after it flew into the animal’s enclosure this spring, zoo officials said on Tuesday.

In April, during a regular outdoor training session, the owl flew away from its trainer and into the Tiger Lair exhibit before a tiger preyed upon the owl, according to a spokesperson for the zoo.

“Animal welfare is a top priority in all facets of Zoo operations. This was a tragic incident and the Zoo has been working closely with its free-flight bird training partners to review our policies and procedures,” the spokesperson added.

At the time of the incident, the bird was in the beginning stages of training and acclimating to its new environment.