Hamilton Zoo's emergency procedure includes shooting to kill dangerous animals

Tiger, chimpanzee and wild dog are on Hamilton Zoo's shoot-to-kill list if they pose any danger to the public.

General Manager Community Lance Vervoort said tranquillisers were not an option for Hamilton's dangerous animals, because they take 10 minutes to work.

The category one animals would be shot if they escaped or if someone found themselves inside an enclosure

"Hamilton Zoo has an emergency procedure for 'person in with dangerous animal'," Vervoort said. "This nominates the person who would be in charge (scene co-ordinator), the requirement to call the police and to get the trained zoo firearms handlers to the scene.

"The co-ordinator would decide whether to destroy the animal(s) or secure them in another part of the exhibit. Hamilton Zoo, at all times, has a registered and trained firearms handler available for every day the facility is open."

Hamilton Zoo's emergency procedures are not unusual.

A 17-year-old gorilla named Harambe was killed in Cincinnati Zoo on Saturday when a 4-year-old boy fell into the moat surrounding the animal's exhibit.

Director Thane Maynard said the zoo's dangerous animal response team, which practices for such incidents, decided the boy was in a life-threatening situation and that they needed to put down the 181 kilogram-plus male gorilla.

Hamilton Zoo tries to avoid dangerous situations from occurring in the first place by using electric fencing, glass viewing windows manufactured with toughened laminated glass designed to withstand blows and, in some cases, extra safety barriers adding a further distance between animals and visitors.

But the message is clear. If a category one animal - including chimpanzees and African hunting dogs - poses a risk to a person, staff must shoot to kill.

Recapture of all other species would usually be attempted, with the option to use tranquiliser darts.  But the use of a firearm is still an option if the animal threatens human life.

At Hamilton Zoo, sometimes visitors can get up close and personal with less-dangerous animals.

Visitors have unrestricted access to aviaries housing native birds and sometimes a zoo keeper can introduce people to non-dangerous animals - but they can never be left alone.

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