Residents of a Colombian city are outraged after two chimpanzees escaped from a zoo and were shot dead by cops and the army.

News of the chimps’ escape was first delivered by the Bioparque Ukumari (Ukumari Biopark) on social media on 24th July.

The zoo wrote: “On Sunday, 23rd July, there was an escape of chimpanzees, which triggered the red emergency code.

“Currently, our team of professionals continues its search efforts, supported by the resources of the Secretary of Government, the National Army, the National Police, and the Pereira Fire Department.

“The general community, especially those residing in Cerritos, is advised to stay in their homes, and in the event of a sighting, avoid contact with the individual of this species.”

During their time on the loose, the chimps were filmed on the outskirts of the city by locals, as seen in these pieces of footage.

However, a short while later, the zoo confirmed the devastating news that the escaped chimps were dead.

It wrote: “The Bioparque Ukumari will not open its doors on 24th July. Our hearts are in mourning due to the loss of our chimpanzees Pancho and Chita.

“They were part of our family, and we will remember them forever.”

The zoo added: “From the Bioparque Ukumari, we regret to inform of the loss of two of our chimpanzees.

“These two individuals were under our care and protection for many years, and with their personalities, they captivated and stole the hearts of all visitors.

“As an institution, we recognise that this loss will generate profound sadness and pain not only among our staff but also among the communities who have believed in us and our daily work for the welfare of the animals during these seven years of operation.”

According to local media, Pancho was shot dead by a police officer in a park around midnight.

This was allegedly after the primate tried to attack a zookeeper, giving the police officers present no time to tranquillise it with a dart.

Colonel Alexandra Diaz of the Pereira Police told local media: “He was moving towards the caregiver and the officers who were with him in an aggressive manner, trying to pounce on the caregiver.

“At that moment, the officer reacted to save the life of the zookeeper.”

Chita, on the other hand, was shot dead by an Army officer who was involved in the search efforts to locate her.

The criticism on social media was swift.

One netizen wrote: “Very delicate situation with the Bioparque Ukumari and the escaped chimpanzees, very poor management, did they sacrifice them? Give an explanation.”

Another asked: “How did we go from ‘they escaped’ to ‘they are dead’? Last night, there were a lot of police, firefighters, and even the Army involved.”

Sources from the circus Pancho used to be part of have denied he was aggressive and said he had always been calm and playful.

The Bioparque Ukumari held a press conference in the wake of the animals’ killings and posted the footage on social media.

But that did nothing to quell the criticism.

One netizen was scathing, writing: “Resign, incompetent person! If your zoo protocols do not prioritise protecting the animals, finding non-violent solutions for possible escapes, and avoiding taking the life of an innocent animal, then your protocols do not exist. Your institution is useless.”

The case recalls that of Harambe, the western lowland gorilla shot dead by a Cincinnati Zoo worker in 2016 after grabbing and dragging a three-year-old boy who had climbed into his enclosure.

He quickly became the subject of internet memes, songs, a video game, a statue, and other tributes and recognitions.