Nearly 300 animal deaths in Fota, Dublin Zoo and Tayto Park

More than half of Fota’s 38 Humboldt penguins died last year. Picture: Fota Wildlife Park

Nearly 300 animals died in the country’s three largest zoos during the past two years, new figures have revealed.

The deaths recorded at Fota Wildlife Park, Dublin Zoo and Tayto Park included sea lions, giraffes, cheetahs and ostriches, as well as endangered species such as a red panda, ring-tailed lemurs, and a chimpanzee.