2-year-old Killed at Zoo: Boy Mauled to Death by Wild African Painted Dogs after Falling Off Exhibit Railing at Pittsburgh Zoo [DETAILS]

A two-year-old boy visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo with family on Sunday (Nov. 4) was killed after being mauled to death by a pack of wild dogs at one of the zoo's popular animal exhibits. The mother of the young child (whose name has yet to be released) unsafely placed the boy on top of the exhibit railing to get a better look at the pack of wild African painted dogs. The beasts then leapt on the 2-year-old and quickly mauled him to death as shocked zoo visitors looked on in utter horror.

According to president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Barbara Baker, it was unclear whether the young boy died from the fall into the wild dog exhibit area or from the attack. Reports claim that witnesses immediately alerted staff members about the child's fall - workers and Pittsburgh police arrived at the scene shortly after. Zookeepers were able to call off seven of the wild dogs and three more were eventually pulled away from the child's lifeless body. One final dog was very aggressive, and police were forced to shoot the beast. The Pittsburgh Zoo was immediately closed and it is unknown when it plans to reopen.

According to Lt. Kevin Kraus of the Pittsburgh police, the attack occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, and the boy fell around 11-14 feet - "Almost immediately after that he lost his balance, fell down off the railing into the pit, and he was immediately attacked by 11 dogs. It was very horrific."

The pack of African painted dogs at the Pittsburgh Zoo are about as big as medium-sized domestic dogs -  also known as cape hunting dogs, spotted dogs, or painted wolves, they weigh between 37 to 80 pounds. Zoo officials explain that they are considered endangered and have large, rounded ears and dark brown circles around their eyes.

The pack lives in a 1.5 acre exhibit called the Painted Dog Bush Camp. Zoo visitors are able to walk onto a deck that is surrounded by glass on all sides - there is one opening located by the railing so that observers can get a closer look at the dogs below.  A mesh barrier is located below the railing and meant to catch small, fallen objects such as cameras or phones - not humans. The dogs typically hunt in packs in the wild and according to Baker they "were in pack mentality" during the attack.

Authorities have yet to release the name of the young boy, but his 34-year-old and lives in Pleasant Hills, just outside Pittsburgh. Police report that the child's father arrived on the scene soon after the accident.

Police and the Allegheny County medical examiner's office are currently investigating the incident - the mother and father have yet to be interviewed and are now receiving grief counseling.

Baker insists that the Pittsburgh Zoo, which also plans on investigating the unfortunate death, has never experienced a visitor death in all of its years of operation.