The unidentified spokesman said the wild animal forced its way through the enclosure's nylon netting and slaughtered the exhibit birds this week, The (British) Daily Mail said Thursday.

Wolfram Graf Rudolf, the head of the zoo, said all 13 of the penguins were of the Black Footed variety and had originated from Africa's western coast.

Rudolf said the loss of the penguins, whose bodies were found Wednesday, was a major blow to the tourist site and its remaining penguin occupants.

"They were the heart of the zoo and part of a valuable breeding program -- every animal was genetically unique. The remaining penguins are traumatized -- especially those that have lost partners," he told The Daily Mail.

The fox blamed for the penguin slaughter has yet to be located.