February 5, 2006 Temperance, MI More than four dozen exotic and native animals perished overnight in a barn fire at Nature’s Creek Petting Zoo. Firefighters were unable to enter the structure to rescue any animals. The cause of the fire was under investigation, but it appeared to be an accident. Other
February 3, 2006 Columbus, OH A zookeeper at the Columbus Zoo lost her fingertip when Toby, an adult male bonobo (or pygmy chimpanzee), bit her. The incident happened when the zookeeper fed Toby a grape as a reward for stepping on and off the scale. Primates
February 2, 2006 Moorpark, CA Feznick, a 4-year-old kangaroo, underwent plastic surgery to repair his lip due to injuries from a wolf bite received at the Kern County farm for Hollywood animals the previous year. Feznick appeared at corporate events and had been featured in a movie for which he walked the red carpet at the premiere. The plastic surgeon performed the lip surgery free of charge as it was the first time he had ever worked on an animal. Other
February 1, 2006 Willmar, MN A cougar was captured while roaming a neighborhood close to an elementary school. Big Cats
February 1, 2006 Pittsburgh, PA Zoo officials said human error was to blame for the ozone-poisoning deaths of 10 black-tip reef sharks. The deaths occurred during a routine, weekly backwash procedure that put purified water into the aquarium.
January 25, 2006 Flora, IL An 80-year-old worker at Spotted Acres farm and petting zoo was mauled by bear and died from his injuries. The man was called to work because the bear had escaped from his cage; he was attacked when he got out of his truck holding a bag of dog food. Sheriff’s deputies shot the bear; the petting zoo owner also requested that another bear be killed. Bears
January 25, 2006 Washington, DC Toni, a 40-year-old Asian elephant at the National Zoo, was euthanized after suffering from debilitating arthritis in her front legs. Elephants
January 23, 2006 Washington, DC Wandu, a 13-year-old cheetah at the National Zoo, was euthanized due to chronic kidney failure. Big Cats
January 1, 2006 Princeton, IA An elderly couple was attacked by a deer they had illegally raised as a “pet.” Both were hospitalized and the eight-point buck was shot and killed by the sheriff’s department. Other
June 19, 2005 Rochester, NY An arctic fox escaped from the Seneca Park Zoo and was killed on Interstate 490 in Perinton, more than sixteen miles from the zoo. Other