One of the animals that escaped after several pen fences were deliberately cut at a private zoo near Three Hills has been destroyed.

According to GuZoo Animal Farm staff members, more than 11 holes were cut in pen fences sometime between late Saturday evening and early Sunday morning.

A number of animals, including yaks, buffalo, Barbados Blackbelly sheep, coyotes, ostriches and a sika deer escaped from the pens.

Zoo staff spent hours corralling the animals but were unable to recapture one coyote which had to be destroyed.

Staff members say the perimeter fence of the family-owned zoo was not damaged and that they have accounted for all of the animals.

“We've done a head count of all of the dangerous carnivores. Nobody was hurt. The coyote that was recaptured does have a cut on its tummy. We suspect it was from jumping through the wire hole, because it's very sharp where they left the hole in the fence,” said Irene Gustafson from Guzoo.

Police are not sure who is responsible for the vandalism at the farm and continue to investigate.

GuZoo was established in 1990 and is the largest private licensed wildlife park in North America.