Lovech Prosecution, along with Environment Ministry and the local municipality, started an investigation of the shooting of Alonso the jaguar, who escaped from his cage on Sunday. 

He was shot and killed by a local hunter near the fence of the zoo. Reports whether the hunting party first tried to tranquillize Alonso, before killing him, are contradictory. 

Environment ministry officials said the killing of the jaguar most likely could have been prevented and he could have been shot with a tranquillizer gun instead. The prosecution is also checking if the actions of the hunting party were legal and recommended to the Lovech zoo management to take measures to prevent future escapes of animals. 

According to Mediapool.bg, the Lovech zoo license has expired in June 2013 and hasn't been renewed since, because it does not meet some of the Environment Ministry requirements. 

The Lovech municipality said Alonso will be stuffed and displayed in the museum of the Cherni Osam village. 

Meanwhile, the chief zoo keeper of the Sofia zoo, Radko Sertov, told the BTA wire service that the killing of Alonso was somewhat justified, as escaped zoo animals posed a serious danger to the public. 

“It is dangerous not because it will attack and eat us, but because it is very scared and stressed,” he said. “The escape of zoo animals is nothing like in the “Madagascar” cartoon. Animals see an open door and walk out, but not to go back to their native lands.”