Search Exotic Incidents Database

PROVIDENCE, RI – A zebra died in “a tragic accident” at a Rhode Island zoo after apparently panicking during a storm. The plains zebra, named Samantha, collided “with a fence in her holding area” during the July 3 storm and was killed instantly, Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village said in a July 7 post on Facebook.

The other zebras at the zoo, Tundra and Zipper, “are being closely monitored by our animal care and veterinary teams as they adjust to this sudden loss,” according to zoo officials. Samantha came to the zoo in Providence in 2003 and was 24 years old, the zoo said. After the accident, she underwent a necropsy, which “confirmed that she passed instantaneously.”

SWANSBORO, NC – An African serval kept as a pet in Swansboro, North Carolina, has escaped. Kenai’s owners are actively searching for him every night. Kenai was last spotted around 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, about three miles from his original location.

UPDATE: Kenai was found in the evening hours on Friday and relocated to be with his owners.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, MO – Sheriff’s deputies in Franklin County shot and killed three bison Tuesday after the animals escaped a nearby corral and injured one of their owners. Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton said the bison were approaching the community of St. Albans after escaping the nearby farm, and deputies couldn’t risk the danger to the public. Video showed the bison walking through the golf course at the Country Club of St. Albans prior to deputies responding.

TUSCON, AZ – Reid Park Zoo’s last remaining Capybara died unexpectedly this week, zoo officials announced Saturday. Hendrix died of inoperable gastrointestinal issues. His female mate, Siren, died in January.

BAY COUNTY, FL – Zoo World is asking for the public’s help in the search for a man who broke into their property Monday night. The zoo’s surveillance cameras caught him breaking through the perimeter fence. “He broke in right behind the sign so that nobody passing by could see what he was doing. And he spent all of his time specifically in the yard chasing down our Billy goats. So we know that he had direct intent to target these animals,” Zoo World Chief Operating Officer Erika Newell said.

Zoo World has over 40 adult and young goats that they keep in two different pens. Managers say he entered one of the pens, then climbed through a deer pen to get to the second goat enclosure. They say he was chasing and harassing the goats. “This individual could have taken a lot of harm, and it could have ended very, very tragically,” Newell said.

Zoo World staff were alerted immediately. Bay County Sheriff’s Deputies responded quickly, but the suspect was already gone. Staff accounted for all of their animals and secured the zoo. They believe this was a targeted attack. Employees say the break-in raised concerns for their animals’ safety.

UPDATE: An arrest has been made for Roland Bohley following animal harassment and burglary at Zoo World. He is in custody at Manatee County Jail.

ROCHESTER, NY – The Seneca Park Zoo just announced the death of a newborn giraffe. Zoo officials announced that Kura, a four-year-old giraffe at the Seneca Park Zoo, delivered a calf Tuesday morning. Zoo staff noted that the calf was unable to stand and discovered their left rear leg was paralyzed. The zoo decided to euthanize the calf due to the limb paralysis.

In normal circumstances, giraffes are on their feet quickly after they are born. Dr. Chris McKinney, the veterinarian at the Seneca Park Zoo, says nerve damage could have been caused by the positioning of the calf in the uterus or during the birth process. “Because it was a nerve and not a musculoskeletal injury, there was not a way to splint the leg, and the prognosis was fatal. In addition, the calf was underweight, which may indicate there were other issues as well,” Dr. McKinney said.