November 12, 2016 Jacksonville, FL A mandrill named Rafiki was euthanized due to old age and worsening congestive heart failure. Primates
November 12, 2016 Arlington, TX A 4-foot-long ball python was found on the wall of a Toys R Us store, and was taken by police to a local rescue center. They believe the snake was a former pet. Reptiles
November 10, 2016 Powell, OH A 31-year-old western lowland gorilla named Anakka died at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium after failing to recover from anesthesia administered for a routine medical procedure. Zoo officials said Anakka had a stroke. Primates
November 10, 2016 Washington, DC Selkie, a 43-year-old gray seal, died. She had been treated for pain related to masses on her chest for months. Marine
November 8, 2016 Oklahoma City, OK About 160 different species of reptiles were seized from a private property. The collection included a young American alligator, alligator snapping turtles, and a Texas horned lizard, which are all illegal in Oklahoma. There was also a 15-foot-long anaconda and 60-70 species of poisonous snakes. Law enforcement officials removed most of the animals from the property, and the animals’ owner faces four wildlife charges. Reptiles
November 7, 2016 West Islip, NY A baby ball python snake was stolen from Repxotica Rare Reptiles, then two days later returned by an “anonymous third party.” Reptiles
November 7, 2016 Pahrump, NV Police officers found three tigers loose in a backyard that only had a 4-foot field fence to contain them, being watched by a 17-year-old. Eight monkeys, a skunk, a cougar, and a fox were also found on the property. Owner Trisha Meyer did not have the necessary permits to keep these animals, and was extradited to Harris County, Texas, where she faces charges for theft and endangering a child. The tigers were taken into protective custody. Big CatsPrimates
November 5, 2016 Glendale, AZ A police officer helped catch an escaped Patagonian mara named Olivia, who was then reclaimed by her owner. Other
November 4, 2016 Dallas, TX Kona, a 7-year-old chimpanzee, died after falling ill during an exam. Primates
November 2, 2016 Albuquerque, NM A 5-year-old male Tasmanian devil named Sylar, on loan from Australia, died from bacterial pneumonia at the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo. He was lethargic and coughing the week prior, and a medical treatment plan was started. The necropsy also found that Sylar suffered from moderate heart disease and “reactive changes” in his liver and spleen as a result of the heart disease and pneumonia. Other