Search Exotic Incidents Database

A 3-year-old boy was scratched by a lynx at the Little River Zoo. The toddler wandered too close to the cat enclosure and the wild cat scratched the boy on the face and head. The child was transported to Norman Regional Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The 45-lb lynx was monitored and zoo officials investigated to take precautions to avoid a repeat incident.

A 5-ft-long boa constrictor was loose after escaping through the pipes connecting the bathroom toilet. Authorities were tipped off when the possessor canvassed the neighborhood, letting people know of the snake’s escape. The possessor reported that the snake escaped sometime in late August or early September but he failed to notify authorities until September 26.

A 21-year-old woman was hospitalized with severe injuries after one of two “pet” black bears attacked her right hand when she reached inside the bears’ cage. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources investigated the attack to determine if the possessors were properly licensed.

Officials safely recaptured an escaped African Serval cat near a mailbox in a Catalina Foothills neighborhood. The cat was in bad shape, dehydrated and tired. An examination showed that her feet were very sore and that a rear leg had been surgically removed. The cat was being cared for at the Tucson Wildlife Center but another facility would have to be found for her.

A Bengal tiger who drew attention last year after escaping from an animal sanctuary in northeast Indiana died. Park officials became concerned about India after she began shunning food. During surgery, it was discovered that she had advanced cancer and she was humanely euthanized.

A spider monkey bit a zookeeper and evaded would-be captors for several hours at the Riverside Zoo, forcing its closure. The zookeeper’s bites were treated at a local hospital. The three other monkeys were coaxed back into their exhibit and the escaped male was found near the exhibit at around 1:00pm.

Buki, a 52-year-old former circus elephant, is in declining health according to officials at the Buffalo Zoo. Zookeepers are making modicifications to her diet but she is losing weight and her appetite and her kidney function has also been affected.

Tweet, an 18-year-old giraffe at the Franklin Park Zoo, collapsed and died while feeding. Tweet starred in the movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and numerous commercials for Toys-R-Us. A necrospy was scheduled to be performed.

An 11-ft-long python was briefly missing from his possessor’s home. Police found the snake but would not return him because it is illegal to possess exotic animals in city limits.

A 4-year-old child suffered a minor laceration to her right cheek after she was struck by a deer at Southwick’s Zoo. This was the second incident involving a deer-related injury at the zoo in a month.