Outrage as lioness and cubs who were the pride of Longleat are put downleaving staff in tears

• Henry the lion, Louisa the lioness and four cubs were killed last month
• Longleat bosses claimed the lions were becoming violent and dangerous
• Employees wept when they heard what had become of the beloved animals

Six lions at Longleat Safari Park have been put down, triggering outrage among staff who claim there was no obvious reason for the animals to be killed.

An adult male called Henry, a lioness named Louisa and four of her cubs were all put to death last month in an operation supervised by vets.

Bosses at the safari park on the Marquess of Bath’s Wiltshire estate insist the decision was taken because of ‘health risks’ after a population increase led to violent behaviour.

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At play: Lions and cubs, left, from the pride that was culled by vets at Longleat, pictured three weeks

But former workers in the lion reserve have questioned whether the animals should have been destroyed, and revealed that some employees were in tears when they found out what had happened.

The lions are one of the biggest attractions at Longleat, which opened in 1966 as Britain’s first wildlife safari park.

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