July 3, 2004 Columbus, OH Seven gorillas escaped from their enclosure at the Columbus Zoo after the zoo’s daily closing. A door left open allowed the gorillas to wander freely in the ape house. The gorillas were coaxed back into their habitat some three hours after their escape. Primates
July 1, 2004 Mandeville, FL For the second time in the past two years, a 16-ft-long python escaped from a mobile home. Reptiles
June 12, 2004 Wrightstown, PA An Australian wallaby, Melbourne, escaped from a private petting zoo and wandered the surrounding area for more than two weeks. According to the zoo’s owner, Melbourne was “not friendly.” Melbourne was eventually trapped and returned to the zoo. Other
June 12, 2004 Mishawaka, IN A 5-ft-long boa constrictor was found in the street, apparently hit by a car. Reptiles
June 1, 2004 Vallejo, CA An elephant trainer at Six Flags Marine World was gored by Misha, a 23-year-old 7,000-pound African elephant. While Misha was grazing she turned suddenly and knocked the man to the ground, causing a wound that penetrated his abdomen “all the way through,” according to a park spokesman. The trainer was taken to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery, and was expected to recover. Misha previously showed aggressive behavior toward trainers. Elephants
June 1, 2004 Jonesboro, AR An escaped 6-ft-long Burmese “pet” python was found slithering through the garden of a local resident. Reptiles
May 30, 2004 Plymouth, CT A “pet” wallaby escaped from his home and was spotted by two residents. Other
May 28, 2004 Buckhead, GA An escaped lynx was caught and returned to its possessor who breeds the animals for sale to circuses, zoos and other commercial exhibitors. Small Cats
May 26, 2004 Rochester, NY A 50-pound Anubis baboon at the Seneca Park Zoo escaped from his enclosure and was found by a security guard in a fenced area nearby. It took more than two hours to return the baboon to his cage. A veterinarian for the zoo tried to anesthetize the animal with a tranquilizer dart but the baboon climbed into a tree instead of falling asleep. The baboon eventually went back into the exhibit area. The opening of the zoo was delayed by 10 minutes. Primates
May 23, 2004 Brutus, NY A woman lost part of her arm when she was mauled while attempting to pet a caged bear in a private zoo. She was driven to the hospital where her arm was amputated just below elbow. Bears