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Omaha, Nebraska – The Henry Doorly Zoo has issued a warning to visitors after veterinarians found dozens of “foreign metal objects” in the stomach of a 36-year-old alligator named Thibodaux. Those metal objects turned out to be 70 American coins the alligator had swallowed, according to a Feb. 16 Facebook post made by the zoo. Veterinarians discovered the coins during a routine procedure involving blood collection and radiographs. Thibodaux needed to be anesthetized and intubated to allow veterinarians to safely remove the loose change.

The zoo veterinarian said that Thibodaux likely swallowed the coins when guests tossed them into his mouth.

Laredo, TX – Pablito, a three-year-old rhesus macaque, ran loose in Laredo, TX, before being hit by a car. He suffered serious head injuries from the incident. He was then transported to a local vet clinic and underwent life-saving measures. Born Free USA’s primate sanctuary in South Texas welcomed Pablito after he was held by animal control for the requisite length of time to declare him a stray. In February 2024, keeping a primate without a permit within the city limits was illegal in Laredo. Officials said Laredo Animal Control issued no permit for a monkey fitting Pablito’s description.

Denver, CO – A 34-year-old Colorado man died days after being bitten by a venomous Gila lizard, who he owned as a pet.

The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, suffered the bite from a juvenile Gila monster on February 12 and died on Friday, marking the first recorded fatal case of a Gila monster bite in the past 94 years.

While the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed the man’s death, additional toxicology tests are pending to determine the exact cause of his death.

The Lakewood Police Department said the two Gila monsters were removed from the victim’s home and taken to a wildlife rehab center in a different state. Before they are transported, the reptile that bit its owner will be sent to a lab at the University of Northern Colorado.

Tucson, AZ – A one-month-old baby zebra, named Tikiti Maji, has died from a traumatic injury prompted by severe wind gusts that day. Tikiti Maji’s mother Anna was startled by a wind gust and abruptly moved into a different portion of the habitat near a wood-paneled fence.

“Our young zebra foal ran into a fence and injured her neck and unfortunately she died immediately,” said Adam Ramsey, Director of Animal Care at Reid Park Zoo. Ramsey said the veterinary staff responded immediately but the baby zebra was already dead.

Ramsey said zebras can be easily startled and this type of injury is not uncommon. This tragedy comes just over three years after Reid Park Zoo lost a male foal in July 2020 in a similar event and nearly 10 years after another zebra fractured his neck running into an enclosure barrier.

Bessemer, AL – A kangaroo seen hopping through a neighborhood in central Alabama was captured on Monday, authorities said. A truck driver from Bessemer took a video after witnessing the missing marsupial bouncing through the Birmingham suburb on Sunday night.

St. Clair, MO – Franklin County deputies tell FOX 2 that more than 40 animals living in deplorable, bitter-cold conditions were rescued from a single Franklin County property on Sunday. It happened at a home in St. Clair. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said it started as a welfare check around 1 p.m. Sunday but turned into an animal rescue and recovery mission. They were able to seize 19 dogs, 18 goats, three turkeys, two chickens, one duck, one rabbit, one cow, and one monkey.

The deputy was able to escort the homeowner to his patrol unit to be transported to a warming station set up at St. Clair City Hall. That’s when first responders discovered the animals living in what they described as deplorable conditions. The community has rallied around these rescue efforts, paying off $5,000 in medical bills for the animals. She encourages people to donate and volunteer at their local shelters.