Search Exotic Incidents Database

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Location/Date
Description
Species
August 24, 2025
Orlando, FL

ORLANDO, FL – A group of zebras at Animal Kingdom Lodge managed to leap over the fence of their enclosure. The video shows the striped escape artists breaking free, clearing what many believe to be an electrified barrier, before realizing they had no idea how to get back inside. While the zebras escaped their designated area, they apparently never shared the same space as the visitors. Disney has not released specifics about how the zebras were guided back, but the animals were eventually safely contained in their original enclosure.

  • Other
August 23, 2025
San Diego, CA

SAN DIEGO, CA – A polar bear, giraffe and gorilla all died within days of each other recently at the San Diego Zoo. The latest death occurred Monday, when Maka, a 30-year-old Western lowland gorilla, suffered a cardiac event, according to zoo officials. His sudden death came four days after Kalluk, a 24-year-old male polar bear; and Nicky, a 28-year-old Masai giraffe, who were euthanized on the same day to “minimize suffering” as they neared the end of their lives.

The week of tragedy began on Aug. 14, when a wildlife health and care team conducted a medical examination of Kalluk. They had noticed a change in his behavior for the past few weeks. Veterinarians later diagnosed him with kidney failure. Kalluk arrived at the San Diego Zoo as a cub in 2001 after being orphaned along with his sister, Tatqiq.

Nicky was not only the matriarch of her herd, but was believed to be the oldest giraffe in North America, according to zoo officials. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance staff members were still grieving when they were further rocked by Maka’s death on Monday. Maka was born at the zoo and became leader of the zoo’s bachelor troop. Zoo officials said that Maka was 5 when he was diagnosed with chromosomal abnormalities and had been receiving treatment throughout his life.

“Recently, he began experiencing brief seizures, prompting our team to monitor his wellness closely and schedule ongoing comprehensive evaluations,” zoo officials said on a recent Instagram post about his death. They said he experienced a cardiac event during this week’s exam. “Despite the heroic and sustained efforts of our wildlife health and care teams, we lost our gentle giant,” zoo officials wrote on the social media post.

  • Bears
  • Primates
  • Other
August 22, 2025
Front Range, CO

FRONT RANGE, CO – For the second time in five days, law enforcement officers on Friday tracked down a runaway emu on the streets of the Front Range. This time, it was animal control officers with the Weld County Sheriff’s Office who wrangled one of the giant birds that had gotten loose near Camfield. A resident helped an animal control officer find the emu, who was ultimately captured with a horse rope on private property.

The emu, believed to be someone’s pet, was taken to a safe spot while animal control waited to hear from the owner. In an update Friday evening, the sheriff’s office announced that the owner had been found. Four days and roughly 60 miles separated the Weld County incident, from another emu escape in Lakewood. Animal control officers there found an emu near the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Quail Street on Monday and were able to get the bird back home safe and sound – but not without their challenges.

  • Other
August 16, 2025
Fresno, CA

FRESNO, CA – A missing hawk was safely returned to a Fresno Chaffee Zoo. On August 12, the zoo made an announcement about Ripley’s return, informing everyone of how the rare animal escaped.

The zoo claims that employees went into the water and yelled at Ripley to try to entice him back. After roughly 20 minutes, the hawk flew to them, resulting a safe recovery and return to the zoo. According to zoo officials, Ripley is currently being cared for at the facility’s veterinary department and is in good health with only minor issues.

  • Other
August 16, 2025
Phoenix, AZ

PHOENIX, AZ – An orangutan at the Phoenix Zoo recently underwent surgery for a rare form of cancer. Zoo officials confirmed it’s the first documented case of sweat gland cancer in an orangutan. Several months ago, Zoo keepers spotted a small skin mass growing on Michael, one of four Bornean orangutans housed at the Phoenix Zoo.

Veterinary staff removed the mass for testing, which led to the sweat gland cancer diagnosis. Michael then underwent a second surgical procedure to remove additional tissue around the site the tumor was removed.

The zoo says Michael’s prognosis will be much more favorable if the cancer does not spread to his lymphatic system. In a statement, Phoenix Zoo Senior Vice President of Animal Health & Living Collections Gary West said the “priority is to give Michael the best chance for a healthy future.”

  • Primates
August 16, 2025
Liberty, SC

LIBERTY, SC – An arrest has been made in the theft of an African serval from a South Carolina animal sanctuary, but the cat remains missing, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. The serval was taken from Izzy’s Pond refuge in Liberty, a nonprofit that provides “lifetime sanctuary” for surrendered animals that can’t be released into the wild. Serval cats are native to Africa’s savannahs and reach about 40 pounds, experts say. They can be kept as pets in some states, but are known to exhibit hunting and territorial instincts that can pose dangers to humans and other pets.

“Investigators with the Animal Control Unit charged (a 20-year-old … former Izzy’s Pond employee with grand larceny after he snatched the wildcat overnight on July 10th,” the sheriff’s office said in a Aug. 7 news release. “The Serval cat named ‘CJ’ has yet to be recovered and investigators believe she may be out of county or even the state at this point. … Several individuals may have knowledge about the ‘CJ’s whereabouts.”

Investigators did not reveal how a suspect was linked to the missing cat. The arrest was made Aug. 2, officials said. Tips on the cat’s whereabouts are being sought at 864-260-4400 or dlmcqueen@andersonsheriff.com.

  • Small Cats
August 10, 2025
Nashville, TN

NASHVILLE, TN – A rare clouded leopard cub was born on July 18, the Nashville Zoo announced on Instagram on Aug 4. The female cub is the 45th cub born at the zoo since 1991. She is “currently the size of a teddy bear,” weighing just 1 lb. Due to the vulnerable status of the clouded leopard species, the zoo said the cub will be hand-reared.

“Since the clouded leopard population is in steep decline, her survival is critical. Following the AZA [Association of Zoos & Aquariums] Species Survival Plan (SSP)’s recommendation, we’ve elected to hand-rear her,” the zoo said, inviting visitors to “watch her grow up through the windows” of its HCA Healthcare Veterinary Center. The zoo explained in a press release that hand-rearing “prevents parental predation or neglect, which is common for clouded leopards, and allows this normally nervous species to become acclimated to the sights and sounds of human interaction typical in an exhibit environment.”

The zoo also announced in its post that it recently welcomed a 10-week-old brother-sister clouded leopard pair from the Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas, per the AZA’s SSP recommendation. Clouded leopards are difficult to breed in captivity as they “are sensitive to auditory and visual disturbances, increasing the stress levels during captive breeding programs,” the zoo said, noting that it works with artificial insemination specialists to “increase the size and diversity” of the captive-bred population.

  • Small Cats
August 9, 2025
Washington, D.C., DC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A sea lion from the Denver Zoo died in Washington, D.C. this week while waiting for a new habitat. Nick had been staying at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C. since 2023 while the Denver Zoo constructed a new sea lion habitat. The 18-year-old sea lion was scheduled to return to Denver this fall.

The care teams at the Smithsonian Zoo said Nick recently began avoiding team members and his fellow sea lions and refusing food. They said he lost a significant amount of weight, and a veterinary team brought him in for an exam on Thursday to diagnose his condition. The veterinarians placed him under general anesthesia, and Nick’s heart reportedly stopped during the procedure. Their efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Officials said he was rescued as a newborn from Seal Rock in North Laguna, California, when he was found with his umbilical cord still attached. He was so young that he had to be bottle-fed and hand-raised, zoo officials said. He came to the Denver Zoo when he was 10 months old. He’s survived by his two offspring, Gunnison and Ady, and his mate, Luci.

  • Marine
August 9, 2025
Webster, MA

WEBSTER, MA – A five-foot long lizard that escaped from Webster has been found, Webster Animal Control announced Saturday. Goose, a water monitor lizard, had been lost for two weeks from the area of Blueberry Lane, according to Webster Animal Control.

Water monitor lizards, native to Southeast Asia, are illegal own in Massachusetts without a permit. The exotic lizards are known to climb trees and seek out water, and have aggressive tendencies if provoked. Goose will be rehomed at nonprofit animal sanctuary RRS Oasis in Beverley, the post said.

Webster Animal Control expressed gratitude for Massachusetts Environmental Police, Webster Police Department Massachusetts, and Douglas PD, saying the groups’ teamwork was essential to ensure Goose’s secure capture.

  • Reptiles
August 1, 2025
San Antonio, TX

SAN ANTONIO, TX – An illegal pet kangaroo was ordered to be removed from the San Antonio city limits after it caused “multiple injuries” to the owner’s son, according to Animal Care Services. The 11-year-old boy suffered at least one bite to his back on June 29 at his home on the far Northwest Side.

The owner, Carlos Cavazos, told KSAT his son was going to feed Bobby, the kangaroo, and as he set the bowl down, the animal reached to give him a hug and “scratched” him. “(The kangaroo’s) nails got caught in his shirt,” Cavazos said. “When he moved, they both got startled, and he just got caught. It didn’t bleed, it was just red.” As a precaution, the boy’s mother took him to a doctor, who reported the incident to ACS. Any scratch or break in the skin is classified as a bite under Texas law, ACS officials said.

After the incident, the male red kangaroo was placed in a 30-day quarantine at the San Antonio Zoo. Any animal other than cats and dogs must be quarantined for up to 30 days to be deemed healthy. Following the kangaroo’s quarantine, ACS gave Cavazos seven days to find his pet a new home outside of San Antonio. He was also issued several citations and ordered to pay more than $500 for quarantine fees to ACS.

  • Other

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