A man has been caught on CCTV hurling pills into enclosures at a zoo in what officials believe was a deliberate attempt to poison rare animals.
The Moscow Zoo in Russia's capital city said the man targeted lynxes and a rare Amur leopard named Mizer during the incident on Tuesday, 27th May.
The attack was captured clearly on video, which has since been shared publicly in a bid to identify the suspect.
The footage shows the man loitering around the enclosures before tossing tablets over the fences and quickly walking away.
Svetlana Akulova, the general director of the zoo, said the pills were discovered during a routine inspection and described the incident as a "deliberate, cold-blooded attempt" to kill the animals.
Akulova said: "We do not rule out that there is someone's intent behind this, and if so, those who stood behind this person will also be held accountable."
She confirmed the tablets have been sent for urgent analysis to determine their composition and possible toxicity.
Akulova added: "Some drugs, even in small doses, are deadly for animals, and if the staff had not detected the threat in time, the consequences could have been irreversible."
Mizer, the leopard at risk, belongs to the critically endangered Amur subspecies, with only around 100 individuals remaining in the wild.
Mizer has been at the zoo since 2015 and is part of an international conservation effort to protect the species.
The Amur leopard is listed in Russia’s Red Book and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Under Article 258.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, harming such a protected animal can result in up to nine years in prison and a fine of RUB 2 million (GBP 18,649).
Akulova confirmed all video footage would be handed over to the authorities and said the zoo is cooperating fully with the investigation.
Police and prosecutors have launched a criminal probe and are appealing for help to identify the man seen in the video.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Irina Volk said officers are working to establish the suspect's identity, motives, and the full circumstances of the incident.
Zoo staff have launched an urgent review of all enclosures and are carrying out additional health checks on the affected animals.
Security at the zoo has also been increased to prevent any repeat incidents.
(MJ Leidig/newsX)