Search Exotic Incidents Database

FORT WAYNE, IN – For nearly a month, visitors at the Fort Wayne Zoo haven’t been able to see Penny, the resident ostrich.

Dr. Caitlin Hemby, Fort Wayne Zoo Associate Veterinarian, explained a plastic cup blew into Penny’s habitat, and she tried to swallow it. The zoo’s Animal Care & Health Teams swept in to remove the cup from Penny’s esophagus before the situation became life-threatening.

Hemby said that during the intervention, Penny injured her right wing, and it was fractured beyond repair. The following week, she had surgery to amputate the wing.

SANTA BARBARA, CA – The animal care team at a California Central Coast zoo is grappling with yet another loss – the fourth animal death in the past month.

“It’s been a difficult few weeks for us here at the zoo,” the Santa Barbara Zoo shared on Instagram Monday in announcing the death of Poppy, an 8-year-old capybara. The zoo’s only other capybara is also facing a serious health challenge.

“Poppy was euthanized on Friday after specialist veterinarians discovered an inoperable mass in her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe or eat,” the zoo said. “Poppy’s age was considered geriatric for a capybara, but her sudden decline in health and ultimate passing is no less painful a loss for our Zoo family and community.”

Zoo officials said Poppy underwent a series of exams and scans, including a CT scan, to determine if the mass could be treated or removed. They ultimately determined it was too extensive.

CALGARY, CANADA – The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo is investigating the circumstances around which a grizzly bear escaped his enclosure Sunday morning.

Staff noticed that Fitz, a one-year-old rescued grizzly bear cub, was out of his containment area during routine early morning checks before opening to the public. “The animal care health and welfare team quickly activated our emergency response procedures,” Baird said. The bear was tranquilized shortly afterward and is in good health.

It’s unknown when Fitz got out of his enclosure, or how long he was out.

It’s believed Fitz got out by climbing above the enclosure’s containment barriers — eight to 10 feet high with hot wire inside — which allowed him to access an area located just outside and above his habitat. Fitz and his brother Turner have been temporarily removed from their enclosure, and are staying in the zoo’s back-of-house space.

CLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is mourning the deaths of two longtime residents. Elsey and Brumby, a pair of dingoes who arrived at the zoo 14 years ago as pups, passed just months apart, the zoo said in a statement.

“Due to advanced age, reduced quality of life, and declining health, Elsey and Brumby were recently euthanized, mere months apart from each other,” the zoo said in a statement.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Indianapolis Zoo announced Wednesday that it had to make a very tough decision recently. The zoo had to say goodbye to Gloria, a 47-year-old white rhinoceros who’s been a fixture in the Plains biome for the past 18 years.

The zoo said Gloria’s health and mobility declined in recent weeks, and animal care staff noticed she had trouble moving within her habitat. She had not responded to medical treatment intended to make her more comfortable. Following consultations with the zoo’s veterinary team, staff decided to euthanize Gloria.

BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo Zoo has announced the death of Buttercup, a 28-year-old zebra, due to medical complications related to old age.

Buttercup spent her entire life at the zoo after she was born there in October 1997. She lived alongside her half-sister, Iris, for 27 years, and the two made up a beloved pairing in the Vanishing Animals North section of the Zoo.

BEDFORD COUNTY, TN – After nearly a month on the loose, a large lizard has been reunited with their owner in Bedford County. The Asian Water Monitor reportedly escaped his owner along Main Street in Wartrace on Monday, July 20.

His owner posted about the escape on Facebook. They asked neighbors to keep an eye out. On Saturday, the Bedford County Animal Control captured the monitor on Spring Street — which is less than a half a mile from where he had originally escaped.

ATLANTA, GA – Zoo Atlanta announced sad news on Friday, sharing that giant otter Bakairi had passed away.

According to Zoo Atlanta, Bakairi had shown signs of not feeling well and started eating less. When he was anesthetized for a veterinary examination on Thursday, the zoo’s Veterinary Team found he was in end-stage kidney failure.

GAINESVILLE, FL – According to a new study in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, researchers at the University of Florida confirmed the first molecularly verified cases of human herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infecting lemurs, and despite every infected animal receiving treatment, they all died.

The study took a look at four privately owned lemurs that developed seizures, brain inflammation, and other neurological symptoms before passing away. One of them had been used in a public “lemur yoga” session, where people came in close contact with the primates, one of whom likely passed on the virus.

MANATEE COUNTY, FL – A routine marine patrol turned into an unexpected rescue mission after a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy discovered a lost pet cockatiel at the Marine Unit dock.

Deputy McBride spotted the bird while launching a patrol boat for a routine patrol. After doing some research, the Marine Unit was able to identify the cockatiel and track down the owner. The bird, named Kiwi, went missing on August 5 along with another cockatiel named Kaiju.

The birds escaped through an open door near 67th Street West and Manatee Avenue West shortly before an afternoon thunderstorm. Investigators believe strong winds may have carried Kiwi about five miles west, where she eventually found shelter at the Marine Unit dock. Kiwi has since been returned to her owner.

However, the search continues for Kaiju, who is pictured on the right in the missing-pet report. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is asking people in the Bradenton Beach area to keep an eye out for Kaiju.