PETA Lawsuit Alleges 'Cover-Up' Of Brookfield Zoo Stingray Deaths

BROOKFIELD, IL — An animal rights giant has filed a lawsuit against Brookfield Zoo over an unanswered request for documents involving the 2015 deaths of dozens of zoo stingrays. The Chicago Tribune reported court records show People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has been requesting the Cook County Forest Preserve District for the document since 2016, which detail what led to the death of 54 stingrays.

Last week's lawsuit was filed as PETA attorney Jared Goodman told the Chicago Tribune it's suspected that officials don't want to come clean on what happened, but he hopes the documents detail how the zoo plans to prevent future incidents like this.

RELATED: 54 Stingrays Die at Brookfield Zoo After Oxygen Level Drops

Patch reported three years ago that all the animals - four southern stingrays and 50 cownose rays - in the Stingray Bay exhibit died at the zoo after a habitat malfunction on July 10, 2015 caused a drop in the oxygen level.

The summer-long temporary exhibit remained closed for the rest of that season, and had been operating since 2007.

Photos courtesy of the Chicago Zoological Society.