Hippo Gustavito beaten to death in El Salvador zoo

A hippo has been beaten to death after attackers broke into his enclosure.

The attack happened on Saturday at the National Zoo of El Salvador.

The animal, named Gustavito, is believed to have been beaten with metal bars, knives and rocks and later died of his injuries.

He was a star attraction at the zoo having been brought over from Guatemala 13 years ago.

Security has been stepped up at the zoo - but the perpetrators are still at large.

Salvadorans mourned through social media and some left flowers at the gate of the zoo, which has been closed until further notice.

The country is one of the most violent in the world with an average of 14 people killed per day.

Street vendor Martin Castillo said: "Here we're used to seeing the dead every day.

"They kill us like flies, but this tops it all. They killed an animal that only entertained us."

Justice minister Mauricio Ramirez Landaverde said an investigation into Gustavito's death had been opened.