Announcing the news, the Ljubljana Zoo repeated today that the wild cats were not dangerous to people, suggesting they left the enclosure only to get the taste of real prey.

The lynx did not leave the enclosure until last night despite the fact that the fence had been broken since Sunday. They escaped and prayed on a male chamois even though they had plenty of food in the enclosure.

Experts from the Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty say the lynx as a rule keep returning to feed on their prey for several days, so they plan to set several traps in a bid to catch them alive as soon as possible.

The Ljubljana Zoo is still coping with the aftermath of the ice storm that wreaked havoc across Slovenia last weekend.

They have been unable to get fresh supplies for many of their animals as the road passing the Zoo and many other local roads around the country remain blocked by fallen trees.