Search Exotic Incidents Database

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Location/Date
Description
Species
May 31, 2024
Michigan City, IN

Michigan City, IN – A baby bobcat who escaped from her enclosure at the Washington Park Zoo in Indiana zoo was safely captured and returned to the facility, city officials said.

The Michigan City mayor’s office previously revealed the 9-month-old bobcat, named Grace, was noticed missing Wednesday from the enclosure she shares with her sister, Hazel, at the Washington Park Zoo. The mayor’s office said Grace was located Thursday near the Guy Foreman Amphitheater in Washington Park and “peacefully captured.” Officials had earlier said Grace did not pose a danger to the public.

It was unclear how Grace managed to get out of the enclosure.

  • Small Cats
May 30, 2024
El Paso, TX

El Paso, TX – Prairie dogs will not be returning to the El Paso Zoo. A mystery solved at the zoo in November of last year revealed that two separate colonies of the animals were killed by a rare bacterial infection and tunnel collapse, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In November of 2023, the zoo fully excavated the prairie dog exhibit after a second colony of a dozen of the animals disappeared shortly after being introduced a few months earlier in August. With those efforts, they were able to find all but three of the animals dead. The surviving three were in poor condition, and one of them died shortly-after, according to the report. The remains of a colony of 14 prairie dogs that had disappeared in 2021, were also discovered. A report by the USDA in 2023, concluded that 14 animals were likely taken by predators.

The previous prairie dog exhibit will be redesigned and will likely feature native Chihuahuan-Desert birds.

  • Other
May 28, 2024
New York City, NY

New York City, NY – At least five peacocks and peahens escaped the Bronx Zoo in NYC. The birds walked through Morris Park. Several people called the NYPD, who helped round up the birds and return them to the grounds of the zoo. Police responded to reports of a peacock on the run between Vice Avenue and East 180th Street. A few good Samaritans spotted the bird and attempted to keep the bird safe off the street.

Police said the peacock bit a man and then fled the scene. The man was not seriously injured and refused medical attention.

  • Other
May 27, 2024
Waterboro, SC

Waterboro, SC – Colleton County Animal Services confirmed a monkey missing since last week from his habitat in Walterboro has been found. The monkey, named Bradley, a 15-year-old Japanese macaque, escaped from his habitat where he lived for almost six years on Thursday. After multiple sightings, Bradley’s owner notified animal services workers that attempts to capture were successful.

UPDATE: The monkey has since been discovered deceased in Walterboro on May 27, 2024. The cause of death remains unclear, though various news outlets reported that the macaque was shot by an area-homeowner in an effort to protect their dog from an attack. County officials have not confirmed that account. The search for Bradley drew in animal control, news crews, and citizens armed with bananas to use as bait and airsoft rifles.

  • Primates
May 24, 2024
Kansas City, MO

Kansas City, MO – Parents in the Northland area remain on the lookout for a missing alligator. Kansas City Animal Control confirms the alligator got loose from a school event and is still unaccounted for. The 14-inch alligator vanished from a petting zoo at Lakeview Middle School on Thursday morning.

The school district also gave a photo of the gator to FOX4. The photo shows the reptile with his mouth taped shut, a move meant to protect people, but this would also lead to the alligator potentially starving to death if he is not rescued soon. Park Hill Schools confirm the gator was part of an impromptu petting zoo at the school, and a means of celebrating the end of the school year. The district notified parents of the missing animal via email on Thursday evening. Apparently, the school district didn’t have a permit for the petting zoo, and the district might get a citation for that.

If you have useful information that can help find this gator, please call Kansas City Animal Control. That agency accepts calls at 816-710-0101 or anonymous tips via its website. 

  • Reptiles
May 1, 2024
West Palm Beach, FL

West Palm Beach, FL – A lorikeet living at the Palm Beach Zoo named Catherine has gone missing, prompting a police investigation as zoo employees believe that the bird was stolen. The West Palm Beach Police Department is investigating the case as larceny, WPEC reported. Florida law considers theft of a zoo animal a felony. Guests are able to enter Lorikeet Loft and purchase a small cup of nectar to feed the lorikeets as they land on the guests’ arms, hands and shoulders to drink the nectar.

  • Other
May 1, 2024
North Bend, WA

North Bend, WA – Four zebras escaped from a trailer on a highway in Washington state on Sunday, leading to a community effort to track down and corral them. So far, three of the zebras have been recaptured, but one remains on the loose.

The trailer driver, Kristine Keltgen, tells the New York Times’ Michael Levenson that she was transporting the zebras from a farm in Washington, where she purchased them, to a petting zoo she owns in Montana. While she was driving, the latch holding the trailer doors came undone. When Keltgen noticed the problem, she pulled over on a highway exit to fix it. But with the vehicle stopped, the zebras escaped. The zebras then ran towards nearby neighborhoods in North Bend, Washington.

Coincidentally, a former rodeo bullfighter happened to be driving in the area at the time, along with his wife, a horse trainer. The couple helped capture two of the zebras by constructing a makeshift pen from ropes, metal panels, and a garden hose, which they used to shepherd the the zebras into the trailer.

A third zebra, which was a juvenile, was corralled on another road, and the three rescued zebras have been transported to Montana. The fourth, however, remains on the loose, according to the Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC).

  • Other
April 29, 2024
Apple Valley, MN

Apple Valley, MN – A Eurasian eagle owl from the Minnesota Zoo flew away from a handler during a training session and was eaten by a tiger. The incident, outlined in an inspection report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, happened in April of this year. The handler was training the owl for a bird show, but it failed to come back and landed in the outdoor tiger enclosure, where it was eaten.

It’s the second time in three years that a Eurasian eagle owl died after flying away from the zoo. In 2021, Gladys flew off a tree during a training session and was found days later on the side of the road. She was injured and the zoo’s veterinary team was unable to save her.

  • Other
April 19, 2024
Topeka, KS

Topeka, KS –  An ostrich named Karen has died at the Topeka Zoo after she grabbed a set of keys from a staff member and swallowed them, officials said Friday morning.

The circumstances surrounding Karen’s passing “serve as a solemn reminder of the importance of vigilance and care in maintaining the safety of our animal inhabitants,” Topeka Zoo officials said.

“In this instance, Karen reached beyond her exhibit fence to grab the keys of a staff member,” zoo officials said. “She immediately swallowed the keys.”

“Zoo staff consulted with experts across the country to undergo surgical and non-surgical efforts to minimize the impact of the keys. Unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful. The Topeka Zoo remains committed to ensuring the well-being of all our animals, implementing rigorous protocols to safeguard against such incidents in the future.”

Zoo officials said they will be investigating the incident and reviewing its protocols to further strengthen the safety measures in place for all of its animal residents.

  • Other
April 16, 2024
Butte, MT

Butte, MT – Montana residents reported an alarming sighting: an elephant on the loose in Butte. The incident was captured on video by stunned witnesses as she navigated through traffic on busy streets, sometimes coming within inches of parked cars. A man, who appeared to be her handler, can be seen running alongside her.

Local media reported that the elephant escaped from the Jordan World Circus, which was holding a show at the Butte Civic Center on Tuesday, April 16th. Butte Civic Center Manager, Bill Melvin, told local news that a female elephant temporarily escaped when the animal’s handlers were washing her outside and a passing vehicle backfired. The elephant was spooked by the sudden noise, then managed to break free from her handlers’ control.

Luckily, the elephant’s handlers were able to capture and secure her before local law enforcement had to get involved or anyone was harmed.

  • Elephants

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