Search Exotic Incidents Database

FORT WORTH, TX – Jameela, a gorilla baby born via an emergency C-section in January at the Fort Worth Zoo, never bonded with her mother. After attempting surrogacy with two other females in the troop which also failed, the zoo has decided to transfer Jameela to a different zoo. In the meantime, she has been cared for solely by human zookeepers. She will be transferred to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, which has other adult female gorillas that have been successful surrogacy mothers in the past.

Sequoyah County, OK – According to the county sheriff’s office, a kangaroo jumped in front of a car in Sequoyah County Wednesday morning and died near the Liberty area north of Roland. A deputy responded to the incident. The kangaroo was a family’s pet, and they later claimed the animal’s body. This was not the first time the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office has dealt with exotic animals kept as pets.

Memphis, TN – Officials with the Memphis Zoo announced the death of giraffe Angela Kate after she fell and injured herself overnight while in her exhibit area. According to the animal care team, they realized that Angela’s injuries left no possibility for recovery, and they made the decision to euthanize her. Officials said it is unknown how or why Angela fell, but they are allegedly prioritizing a regrading and resurfacing of the habitat.

Akron, OH – A staff member at the Akron Zoo suffered injuries from multiple bite wounds inflicted by one of the Komodo dragons, named Padar, in the “Komodo Kingdom employee service area.” The incident occurred when two male Komodo Dragons entered the same enclosure and attacked each other. When the injured employee tried to intervene, they were injured by the larger male Komodo dragon. The zoo’s other Komodo dragon, Jasper, was not involved in the staff member’s injuries was also hurt and is now recovering, the zoo said. A Komodo dragon attack can be fatal to humans. Komodo dragons can reach up to 10 feet in length and can weigh up to 300 pounds, and are typically solitary in the wild. The zoo is working with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) in its review of the incident.

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.