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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Photo: Animal Thefts From Zoos on the Rise, Officials Say


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Toga, a young jackass penguin, was stolen last December from the Amazon World Zoo Park on the Isle of Wight in southern England. The young bird has not been found and is presumed dead.

Some 200 animals were stolen from U.K. zoos last year, mostly exotic birds, small primates,and rare reptiles. The thefts are part of a recent uptick in zoo thefts in Europe and the U.S., officials say.

Photograph by Kath Bright/Reuters