September 20, 2002 Quitman, AR Four lions were shot and killed after they were found roaming near a town. It was suspected that the lions belonged to the operator of an exotic farm. However, the operator denied the allegations and maintained that someone dumped the animals. Big Cats
September 12, 2002 Scotts Valley, CA Sima, a 150-lb tiger, lunged and grabbed a 6-year-old boy’s head in her jaws. Zoo to You brought the 1-year-old, declawed tiger in connection with a children’s awards ceremony for selling magazine subscriptions. The boy needed 55 stitches to close his wounds. Big Cats
September 8, 2002 Cincinnati, OH A python escaped its cage and killed and ate a dog. The snake was confiscated and taken to a rescue facility. Reptiles
September 5, 2002 Escondido, CA A 200-pound west Caucasian tur, a rare and endangered goat, gored a zookeeper at San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, while the woman cleaned the tur’s pen. The puncture wound under her ribs required surgery. Other
September 3, 2002 Washington, DC Keltie, a 23-year-old grey seal who had suffered from decades of chronic health problems, died of unknown causes. Her health issues included a fungal skin infection that left her with white spots on her nose and above her eyes, and also affected her flipper, making it bleed for months. She had also lost many teeth. Marine
September 2, 2002 Washington, DC Griff, a 19-year-old female Masai giraffe, died after a week-long illness. Other
September 1, 2002 Pascagoula, MS A man suffered four bites to his arm by his “pet” rattlesnake and was rushed to the hospital for antivenin. Reptiles
August 28, 2002 Tampa, FL A “pet” kinkajou scratched and bit three children. A judge ordered that the animal be euthanized to test for rabies. Other
August 23, 2002 Norfolk, VA A handler with Sterling and Reid Circus faces animal cruelty charges after being accussed of beating an elephant resulting in bloody lacertations on the animal. The chief animal handler with the circus was also arrested. Elephants