The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) charged a Canadian wildlife park with five counts of animal cruelty including allowing a peacock to be in distress.

Marineland, in Niagara Falls, has been also charged for failing to provide adequate food and water to 35 bears, while Marineland deny all the allegations.

The BBC reported, the accusations were made by "a former animal care worker who was fired for poor performance and inappropriate behaviour".

The peacock  "one among thousands of birds" had a problem with its eye but was otherwise healthy, it said. It also blamed the OSPCA staff for upsetting the guinea hens and the concerns regarding the bears' food were due to some small labels being left on pieces of fruit.

According to the park spokesman, there had never been concerns raised about the bears' access to water. Although, the OSPCA, which is continuing to monitor the situation, said further charges are likely to follow.

Spokesman Alison Cross said that, "If convicted, they could face a CA$60,000 ($44,300/£35,500) fine, a lifetime ban in owning animals and up to two years in jail."

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Nandini