Search Exotic Incidents Database

Rufus, a 34-year-old white rhinoceros, was found dead in the animals’ night house. Rufus apparently died after the zoo’s other rhino, 40-year-old Alfred, charged at him and struck him in the side with his horn, causing severe internal injuries. A zoo official said the fatal incident was the result of an error on the part of a zoo staff member because the two rhinos were meant to be kept separated.

A Polk County rancher reported that several Patas monkeys who escaped from nearby Safari Wild in April had taken up residence on his property. Safari Wild staff continued to lay out traps to capture the remaining primates.

A man who kept exotic animals surrendered his license to harbor several exotic animals in response to complaints from neighbors, who claimed a panther escaped from his facility and attacked a puppy in March 2008.

A 32-year-old man was attacked and mortally injured while feeding a 1,000 pound liger.

Pennsylvnia Game Commission officials announced that blood samples collected at the scene of a alleged cougar attack proved that the sample was not blood at all. No further investigation was planned.

200 animals died as a result of an early morning fire in a local pet wholesale shop. A malfunctioning heat lamp was believed to have sparked the fire. Two 3-ft-long alligators managed to escape their cage and were swimming along the flooded floor. The store sold exotic reptiles, hamsters and birds.

Local owners of a corn maze fielded complaints from unhappy animal lovers about the display of a live, caged tiger furnished by Vogel Exotic Animals Shows of Sanborn, MN.

A 25-year-old woman was found dead in her home by her husband. The medical examiner’s preliminary report stated that the woman died from asphyxiation caused by neck compression. The python’s cage was empty.

The owner of a golf course discovered a 31-inch-long alligator. The owner planned to keep reptile until someone claimed him.

A man appeared in court to answer for harboring an undocumented primate. Police had previously arrested the man in January for shouting criminal threats in front of a Van Nuys residence. A 7-year-old black and while male marmoset was discovered during the arrest and investigation.