Tragedy has stricken the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium when a two-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of African wild dogs, after he fell off a railing his mother put him on to view the animals.

Despite desperate efforts by zookeepers and armed police officers to save the boy, rescuers could not deter the eleven savage beasts from mauling and killing the boy. One of the African painted dogs, an endangered species in its own right, was shot and killed by an officer.

The incident happened at approximately 11:45 AM on Sunday, when the boy’s 34-year-old mother placed him on a railing to see the animals better.

The boy then fell 11 feet into the animals’ area.

It is unknown as of now whether the boy died from the fall or the attack.

James Gilbert | Elite.