Missing raccoon returned to zoo

A raccoon dog has been returned to a zoo after going missing in a badger cull area of Somerset.

Tanuki, which belongs to the same family as wolves and foxes, vanished from an enclosed area at Tropiquaria zoo near Minehead.

The raccoon dog went missing at 8pm on Saturday and staff arrived the following day to find damage to a wire panel and a steel bar removed.

Police launched an investigation but a member of the public found Tanuki sniffing a fox carcass half a mile away from the zoo on Sunday evening.

The dog was handed to Vanessa Mason, of Secret World wildlife centre, who brought her back to the zoo after a check-up.

Chris Moiser, zoological director of Tropiquaria, appealed for witnesses to contact police with information about the disappearance.

"We are ever so pleased to have her back and have now placed her in a different enclosure to the one that she was in originally whilst we assess her condition," Mr Moiser said.

"Although she appears fit and well at present we cannot be sure what she has eaten whilst out, or what wild animal diseases she may have come into contact with.

"Fortunately she is immunised against the most common ones though.

"From social website chatter there appear to have been several anti-badger cull people in the area at the time that she disappeared who think that they may have seen something.

"We do ask that they contact the police with any information they may have, even down to timings, because this will increase the chance of an arrest.

"Clearly releasing an animal like this during the badger cull period is an act of crass stupidity and could have led to the death of the animal. We are fortunate that it didn't."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Avon and Somerset Police on 101, quoting incident number.