Search Exotic Incidents Database

As temperatures plunged below zero, a zebra’s back hooves got caught in a fence surrounding an Indiana farm on which he was being kept as a pet. Despite the extreme weather conditions, no one bothered to check on the welfare of this animal. Unable to free himself, the zebra panicked, gulping in so much icy cold air that it crystallized in his lungs, killing him. In a heartbreaking photo taken by an Indiana resident, a second zebra lies beside the body of his trapped, dead friend. Along with these two zebras, their unidentified owners also have pet kangaroos.

An orangutan at the Toledo zoo bites a zoo volunteer and detaches her thumb. The volunteer reached through a barrier and the orangutan bit her arm. The Toledo zoo says the volunteer’s injuries were not life-threatening and that she was treated at a hospital and that the incident took place Saturday in an area not accessible to visitors while the orangutans were being fed.

A toddler fall into the rhino enclosure at Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida during a “close encounter” attraction. The toddler sustained minor scrapes and none of the rhinos were injured.

A 22 year old zoo worker was killed by a lion who escaped his pen while the zoo staff was cleaning his enclosure. Authorities attempted to tranquilize the lion, but failed, and the animal was killed.

SHALLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Police in a coastal North Carolina town say a repairman won’t face charges after he fatally shot a pet monkey that escaped and attacked a woman. On Friday evening a snow monkey escaped a backyard cage and “went bananas,” biting a woman and scratching her arms and legs.

Police say the monkey then ran across the street and banged on a neighbor’s glass door. The repairman approached the animal, which then ran toward him. Detective Sgt. John Holman says the repairman killed it with his small handgun. The man had a concealed carry permit and was protecting the neighborhood. Holman says the monkey’s owner was properly licensed to keep it and other exotic pets.

AVON, Conn. (AP) — An officer with the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police has gone head to head with an escaped python. Authorities say Officer Edward Yescott was called to a home in Avon Saturday for a report of a jungle carpet python sunning itself in a homeowner’s yard. Jungle carpet pythons are native to Australia, and they can grow up to 7 feet (2 meters) in length.

Environmental police say Yescott was able to catch the snake unharmed. Authorities say the snake was likely someone’s exotic pet.

SPRING, Texas – Two women suffered severe cuts and scrapes Thursday after a warthog attacked them at a Spring exotic animal park, authorities said. Harris County officials said two women were injured while feeding a male and female warthog at TGR Exotics Wildlife Park in Spring.

Authorities said the male hog became enraged during the feeding and attacked the 50-year-old owner of the wildlife center and a 30-year-old employee. The owner suffered injuries to her legs and chest. The employee suffered leg injuries.

An African Serval named Juno escaped from his home in Pelham, Alabama on April 24, 2018. As of May 1, 2018, he has not been recaptured, but police have indicated that if he cannot be easily recaptured, they may have to shoot the animal.

Four baboons used a barrel to escape from their enclosure at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. The animals were recaptured without injury.

A 7-month-old female giraffe got loose from the African Journey exhibit at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Handlers were able to locate and recapture the animal without any injuries.