Turin, Italy - Dozens of birds were killed Wednesday at a private zoo in Italy in an arson attack claimed by radical animal rights activists, news reports said.

Several bottles filled with petrol were used to start the fire which killed some 40 hawks, buzzards and owls in an aviary at the Zoom Zoo near the northern city of Turin.

"This is for the imprisoned animals - Animal Liberation Front" was found spray-painted in red near the scene of the early morning attack.

Firefighters prevented flames from spreading to a warden's shed and other buildings, one of them housing several tigers, the reports said.

The recently built zoo was scheduled to open to the public in April, its owner said.

The Animal Liberation Front name has been used by radical groups in several countries. Some, such as at Oxford University in England, have targeted centres where scientific experiments are carried out on animals.

In 2002 hundreds of beagle dogs were stolen from a breeding kennel in Italy by Animal Liberation Front members claiming they were saving the dogs from being sent to laboratories situated abroad. (dpa)