Image copyright Dudley Zoo Image caption Margaash, the eight-year-old snow leopard, was killed on 23 October, Dudley Zoo said

A snow leopard was shot dead after a zookeeper left the enclosure door open and it escaped.

Dudley Zoo said eight-year-old Margaash was killed after getting free on 23 October when the zoo had closed and all visitors had left.

An investigation found the door to the enclosure was left open at 17:00 BST through "keeper error".

A disciplinary procedure has taken place into those involved and security is being reviewed.

Once keepers saw Margaash outside, the zoo said its animal escape procedure was put in place and the firearms team managed the incident.

The zoo said the leopard was killed by a senior member of the firearms team with a single shot and did not suffer.

It added staff had no other option and the decision was taken in the interest of public safety.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage released by Dudley Zoo in February shows its two snow leopards in their enclosure

Zoo director Derek Grove said: "This was an incredibly sad incident and our staff are understandably heartbroken.

"Euthanasia is, and always will be, a last resort. Efforts to persuade Margaash to return to his enclosure failed and as the animal was close to surrounding woodland and dark was approaching, the vet did not believe a tranquiliser dart was a safe option due to the amount of time the drug takes to work.

"Safety of the public is always of paramount importance and our staff are highly experienced and rigorously trained."

Image copyright Dudley Zoological Gardens Image caption Margaash, eight, had been at Dudley Zoo since 2011

The zoo is located in the centre of Dudley, next to Dudley College of Technology and close to a number of shops and houses.

It said it had notified people who had "adopted" the animal and had informed all the keepers so they could explain the situation to visitors.

Margaash was born at Banham Zoo in Norfolk in May 2010 and was transferred to Dudley Zoo in September 2011, where he lived with three-year-old female Taïga.

He was the father of a snow leopard cub that died at the zoo in 2013.

The Snow Leopard

Image copyright Getty Images

Snow leopards are endangered and there may be as few as 4,000 left in the wild

Estimates of their numbers in the wild are difficult because the animals are highly elusive

They are native to Central Asia

Its main prey are ibex, argali and bharal (Himalayan blue sheep)

Snow leopards measure between about 55 and 65cm (22 - 26in) tall and 90 to 115cm (36 - 44in) in length

They have been known to live for up to 22 years in captivity but in the wild their life expectancy is more like 10 to 12 years

Information Source: Snow Leopard Trust

Image copyright Google Maps Image caption Dudley Zoo is on Castle Hill, close to the centre of the town

The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) said it was "saddened" to hear of the death.

It added: "The zoo has informed our association that all the necessary procedures and protocols with regards to an animal escape were followed at that time, including informing their local authority, a requirement of the Secretary of State's standards of modern zoo practice.

"Following the incident we understand that the zoo has carried out a thorough internal investigation with a view to implementing any changes that they feel may be required."

The Snow Leopard Trust said: "As fellow animal lovers, our thoughts are of course with the Margaash, the snow leopard that was tragically killed - but also with the staff and volunteers of Dudley Zoo, who must be in shock and grief.

"We do partner with many zoos around the world to raise awareness and share expertise when possible. We believe zoos play an important role in wildlife conservation, both as a major funding partner and as a point of contact to animals for millions of people.

"It's a great loss, and we hope the necessary measures will be taken to avoid any such tragic situation in the future."

A spokesman from the Born Free Foundation said: "While this is a sad incident that is undoubtedly very distressing to those who cared for Margaash, it brings into sharp focus - once again - that zoos simply cannot guarantee the safety of people and their animals.

"There will be those who claim that zoos contribute to conservation: whether or not these claims hold water the captive life and unfortunate death of a snow leopard at a zoo should serve to remind us just how we are failing wild animals wholescale, both in captivity and in nature."</s>Apple looks like it is readying itself for a 28 August release date for its Snow Leopard operating system, much to the delight of Mac owners worldwide.

An extended Bank Holiday weekend is the perfect opportunity to settle down with Apple's latest operating system, to familiarise yourself with its latest updates and features (although your better half might not be entirely happy with you dedicating some 'me time' to your Mac instead of her/him).

Apple is also planning a music-related press event on 7 September, so expect to see more discounting of Apple iPod and Mac hardware later next month.

Snow Leopard was originally announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) has been available to pre-order on Amazon for a few weeks already.

Amazon and Apple are now running 28 August as the release date for Snow Leopard, so you may want to pop down to your local Apple Store next week, or just order it online (if you can put up with waiting a day or two longer).

Macenstein has also published Apple training documents based around the Snow Leopard launch, also dating 28 August as the release date.

Apple promises faster boot-up times and increased stability with its latest version of OS X, alongside 64-bit support, application support for multicore processors and a smaller footprint, meaning you get a smidgeon of extra space on your hard drive, with up to 6GB saved.

US prices for Snow Leopard are confirmed to be $29 for the upgrade and $129 for the full package. UK pricing is still to be confirmed.

And for more on Snow Leopard check out some of TechRadar's recent OS X coverage.</s>A leopard when entered an industrial area in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra created panic among people there. People in Navi Mumbai's Taloja Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) were scared to find the spotted cat roaming around the busy industrial area.

The CCTV cameras captured the leopard in the industrial area on November 19. The forest department was informed and the CCTV footage was shared with the officials. Forest officials searched Taloja MIDC for the leopard but to no avail.

The forest officials told the factory workers, especially security officials and those working during night shifts, to be careful and take proper measures in case the leopard is spotted again.

Forest department officials suspect that the leopard must have lost its way and went across the highway towards the Taloja MIDC from Karnala sanctuary. Karnala has a number of leopards.

The leopard has not been spotted in the industrial area yet but the authorities have issued an alert across Taloja MIDC.

Read more on leopard and Maharashtra:

Rajasthan's Jhalana learns to live with leopards and their hunger games

2 tiger cubs die after being run over by train in Maharashtra</s>Early snow, cold bode well for New England ski season

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Early season snow and cold temperatures are helping New England ski resorts open early, carving out a blizzard of a start to the 2018-2019 season.

Many hitting the slopes are finding great November conditions across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

The early season snow bounty is being combined with tens of millions of dollars in improvements at resorts across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine that include new chair lifts, snow-making upgrades and more off-slope activities for winter enjoyment. Another bonus is the storms have hit southern New England and the New York area, which helps generate interest in winter sports from people who live far from the mountains.

All the new amenities are being highlighted by the cold weather that allows snow-making machines to blanket the slopes — plus the free, natural snow that has been covering the region in a series of early storms. All this has combined to produce rarely seen mid-November conditions, said Sarah Hyde of Wilmington, who has been out on the slopes a half dozen times already at southern Vermont's Mount Snow, which had its earliest opening ever on Oct. 27.

"In the old days I would take a pair of rock skis out for early in the season because you'd rather see the sparks fly on something old rather than something new," said Hyde, who added that she hasn't seen any bare spots on the slopes thus far.

The snowfall in Maine threatened records for November in some parts of the state. Beth Ward, general manager of the Camden Snow Bowl, said the early snowfall had residents "chomping to ski."

Ward said the combination of early snow, cold weather and a strong economy was a perfect recipe for a strong season. She said last year's late spring snow also helped interest carry over.

"The snow that we are getting right now is the best marketing we could ask for," Ward said. "It sells itself, really."

The good economy also contributed to an increase in sales of gear in the offseason, said Greg Sweetser, executive director of the Ski Maine Association. "Ski swaps," in which skiers buy, sell and trade gear before the season, were especially well attended this year, he said.

"From Presque Isle to Kittery, these ski swaps had great enthusiasm this year," Sweetser said. "People are feeling confident with the economy."

The Bretton Woods Ski Area near Mount Washington plans to debut its eight-person gondola this season. It will climb about 1,300 vertical feet (396 meters) from the base area to just below the summit of Mount Rosebrook, one of its three peaks, in less than five minutes.

Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch is celebrating its 80th season. It's known for having the first passenger aerial tramway in North America, which ascends to the 4,080-foot (1,243.6-meter) summit. Cannon has added a new ski patrol hut and made some snowmaking upgrades, in addition to adding more seats to its pub.

At Waterville Valley, workers are getting ready a new High Country T-Bar lift. The resort says the surface lift is low to the ground and less susceptible to wind. It is replacing its 1966 double chairlift, which often shut down during high winds.

Last Saturday, there were 20 inches (51 centimeters) of snow at a measuring stake near the top of Mount Mansfield, Vermont's tallest mountain, the most so early in the season since 2013. And last Friday, the day before the official opening of Vermont's Sugarbush resort, season pass holders got an early shot at the trails.

"They hadn't even groomed the main runs down the mountain at all," said Adam White, a spokesman for the Vermont Ski Areas Association, which represents about 50 downhill and cross country resorts across the state. "There was so much abundant fresh snow we were skiing powder."

In northern Vermont, the Jay Peak ski resort is opening for the season on Friday, but the resorts bookings for the season were given a huge boost by the late-season snowfalls last March that left skiers eager for more.

"The last impression has been the lasting impression," said J.J. Toland, a spokesman for the Jay Peak ski area, which is opening for the season on Friday with fantastic conditions.

AP reporters Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.</s>An Arctic blast has swept across Britain, bringing snowfall and bitter conditions, signalling a change in things to come. Some areas of Britain have been blanketed by snow, mainly to the north and Scotland. Snow has fallen in Exmoor, Wales, the Peak District and the Pennines, but even the south - Surrey, Sussex, Kent and London - experienced some flurries of snow.

The cold weather is caused by polar gales from Siberia and is forecast to bring severe weather until Christmas. Last night the lowest minimum temperatures was recorded at Exeter Airport, where -3.2C was noted. Met Office forecaster Luke Miall said: “We could see showers turn wintry, with a little bit of sleet and even some snow over the Highlands, the Pennines and possibly Snowdonia. “However, our monitors suggest this is mostly settling on the grass, it is not looking like anything that impactful at the moment, which is a good thing.”

Snow could continue to fall this week over the highlands in Scotland, and the Brecon Beacons in South Wales, while those living closer to sea level are more likely to see sleet - rain and snow mixed. The forecast for today will be cloudy in the east, with showery rain, most persistent in eastern Scotland. Elsewhere the day will start out sunny before turning cloudier and showers reaching central and northwestern areas later on Thursday afternoon. Drizzle and outbreaks of rain will be persistent in the north in the evening, and some heavy showers are likely in south and south-west England, with further fog overnight into Friday morning.

John Hammond, chief meteorologist for Weathertrending said: “Its currently snowing over parts of Salisbury Plain, The Berkshire and Wiltshire Downs pushing into the higher parts of The Cotswolds later this morning. “This afternoon this area may affect parts of South and Mid Wales. There may be temporary slushy coverings here, before dying out. “Elsewhere the main focus is for the highest parts of the Pennines, The Cheviots and the The eastern Highland and Grampians. “By tonight, most of any snow will have turned to rain and largely died out.</s>MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Early season snow and cold temperatures are helping New England ski resorts open early, carving out a blizzard of a start to the 2018-2019 season. Many skiers and snowboarders are finding…

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Early season snow and cold temperatures are helping New England ski resorts open early, carving out a blizzard of a start to the 2018-2019 season.

Many skiers and snowboarders are finding great November conditions across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

The early season snow bounty is being combined with tens of millions of dollars in improvements that include new chair lifts, snowmaking upgrades and more off-slope activities for the winter enjoyment of skiers, snowboarders and other tourists who visit the region.

Another bonus is the early season storms hit southern New England and the New York area, which helps generate interest in winter sports from people who live far from the mountains.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Margaash, an eight year old snow leopard, is shot dead by staff at Dudley Zoological Gardens, England after escaping its enclosure.