Search Exotic Incidents Database

CALGARY, CANADA – The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo is investigating the circumstances around which a grizzly bear escaped his enclosure Sunday morning.

Staff noticed that Fitz, a one-year-old rescued grizzly bear cub, was out of his containment area during routine early morning checks before opening to the public. “The animal care health and welfare team quickly activated our emergency response procedures,” Baird said. The bear was tranquilized shortly afterward and is in good health.

It’s unknown when Fitz got out of his enclosure, or how long he was out.

It’s believed Fitz got out by climbing above the enclosure’s containment barriers — eight to 10 feet high with hot wire inside — which allowed him to access an area located just outside and above his habitat. Fitz and his brother Turner have been temporarily removed from their enclosure, and are staying in the zoo’s back-of-house space.

CLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is mourning the deaths of two longtime residents. Elsey and Brumby, a pair of dingoes who arrived at the zoo 14 years ago as pups, passed just months apart, the zoo said in a statement.

“Due to advanced age, reduced quality of life, and declining health, Elsey and Brumby were recently euthanized, mere months apart from each other,” the zoo said in a statement.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Indianapolis Zoo announced Wednesday that it had to make a very tough decision recently. The zoo had to say goodbye to Gloria, a 47-year-old white rhinoceros who’s been a fixture in the Plains biome for the past 18 years.

The zoo said Gloria’s health and mobility declined in recent weeks, and animal care staff noticed she had trouble moving within her habitat. She had not responded to medical treatment intended to make her more comfortable. Following consultations with the zoo’s veterinary team, staff decided to euthanize Gloria.

BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo Zoo has announced the death of Buttercup, a 28-year-old zebra, due to medical complications related to old age.

Buttercup spent her entire life at the zoo after she was born there in October 1997. She lived alongside her half-sister, Iris, for 27 years, and the two made up a beloved pairing in the Vanishing Animals North section of the Zoo.

BEDFORD COUNTY, TN – After nearly a month on the loose, a large lizard has been reunited with their owner in Bedford County. The Asian Water Monitor reportedly escaped his owner along Main Street in Wartrace on Monday, July 20.

His owner posted about the escape on Facebook. They asked neighbors to keep an eye out. On Saturday, the Bedford County Animal Control captured the monitor on Spring Street — which is less than a half a mile from where he had originally escaped.

ATLANTA, GA – Zoo Atlanta announced sad news on Friday, sharing that giant otter Bakairi had passed away.

According to Zoo Atlanta, Bakairi had shown signs of not feeling well and started eating less. When he was anesthetized for a veterinary examination on Thursday, the zoo’s Veterinary Team found he was in end-stage kidney failure.

MANATEE COUNTY, FL – A routine marine patrol turned into an unexpected rescue mission after a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy discovered a lost pet cockatiel at the Marine Unit dock.

Deputy McBride spotted the bird while launching a patrol boat for a routine patrol. After doing some research, the Marine Unit was able to identify the cockatiel and track down the owner. The bird, named Kiwi, went missing on August 5 along with another cockatiel named Kaiju.

The birds escaped through an open door near 67th Street West and Manatee Avenue West shortly before an afternoon thunderstorm. Investigators believe strong winds may have carried Kiwi about five miles west, where she eventually found shelter at the Marine Unit dock. Kiwi has since been returned to her owner.

However, the search continues for Kaiju, who is pictured on the right in the missing-pet report. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is asking people in the Bradenton Beach area to keep an eye out for Kaiju.

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Ruby, a 2-year-old red panda, has died at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Her death comes just weeks after she lost her two newborn cubs in July.

Staff at the zoo do not believe Ruby’s death and those of her babies are connected, and zoo officials say she died from Addison’s disease, a rare endocrine disorder

GRANBY, CANADA – The Granby Zoo is asking visitors who might have had physical contact with a Japanese macaque to call public health after a visitor was scratched by the animal earlier this week.

Macaques can carry the Herpes B virus, which is extremely rare in humans but can lead to serious complications if it is not treated quickly.

On Tuesday, a platform accessible to employees near the macaque enclosure was not closed properly, giving visitors access it, explained Dr. Cédric Larouche, a veterinarian at Granby Zoo specializing in zoological medicine, at a news conference on Thursday.

A woman who was visiting with her children who attempted to feed the macaque.

“Then she went to retrieve her child. That’s when she was scratched. But obviously, the exhibit area should not have been accessible to those children or that family,” said Alex Chandonnet, head of animal care. Workers at the zoo aren’t sure if other visitors gained access to the platform, which was not properly secured for a few hours.

The zoo, along with the regional public health department and Santé Québec, says it is monitoring the situation and coordinating the necessary health measures.

LANSING, MI – Potter Park Zoo’s longtime African lion, Kota, is recovering after being treated for a severe spinal condition that zoo veterinarians say carries a poor prognosis.

The 19-year-old lion has been off exhibit in recent weeks after animal care staff noticed worsening weakness in his hind legs, decreased mobility and reduced appetite.

Dr. Ronan Eustace, the zoo’s Director of Animal Health, said an initial examination failed to identify the cause of the health issues.

Zoo staff then transported Kota to Michigan State University’s Veterinary Hospital for advanced testing, including a CT scan and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The imaging revealed severe intervertebral disc disease, commonly known as slipped discs, a condition that can affect aging animals.

Eustace said the lion recovered well from the diagnostic procedures and is currently receiving anti-inflammatory medications, pain management treatment and rest. However, because the disease affects multiple areas of Kota’s spine, veterinarians determined surgery is not a viable option.