A zoo boss accused of killing animals to cook and serve up as treats for his staff has been sacked in Mexico.

Manager Jose Ruben Nava Norieg is said to have taken four pigmy goats from their enclosure which were then killed and cooked for a New Year party.

A zebra was also reportedly slaughtered and eaten during his management of the Zoochilpan Zoo, in Chilpancingo.

Nava Norieg was dismissed earlier this month after the unexplained disappearance of a deer.

Officials also found irregularities in the purchase of veterinary medicines that did not appear to exist.

The subsequent investigation then revealed the fate of the pygmy goats and started a probe into the disappearance of other animals.

Some – like the zebra, goats and African Watusi cattle – are believed to have been eaten while others were sold.

Guerrero state environment department’s director of wildlife Fernando Ruiz Gutierrez confirmed the grim fate of the goats.

He said: “These four animals [were] slaughtered and cooked on the zoo’s premises, and were served as food at the year-end party.”

Locals were shocked at the news that animals at the ‘green heart of the city’ located on three hectares of land in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood were being eaten.

Gael Carillo, a resident of Chilpancingo, said: “I went to the zoo several times, and I always liked the pygmy goats, but last time I visited, there was only one, a very small one, and he’s all on his own right now. Before that, they were all there, I saw them.”

The former director is also accused of setting up a private laboratory so he could charge vastly inflated prices for tests on zoo animals.

Other animals at the zoo include hippos, apes, big cats and crocodiles.