July 2, 2016 Deadwood, SD The police investigated a complaint against Mark Valdez alleging that he possessed more wolf hybrids than were originally grandfathered in for him when an exotic pet ordinance went into effect in 2015. They found a wolf hybrid pup, and he was given two citations for housing and breeding exotic animals. Other
July 2, 2016 Des Moines, IA A 7-year-old male Bactrian camel named Nikolai died suddenly from an acute gastrointestinal disease. Other
July 1, 2016 Tampa, FL An orangutan named Luna got loose at Tampa Bay’s Busch Gardens amusement park. The primate was tranquilized with a dart and returned to her enclosure, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Primates
July 1, 2016 Kaanapali, HI A 3-4 foot ball python was captured on a Maui coffee farm. Ball pythons are not indigenous to Hawaii, and was likely part of the pet trade. Snakes have no natural predators in Hawaii and pose a serious threat to Hawaii’s environment. The snake was euthanized due to the condition it was found in. Reptiles
June 30, 2016 Providence, RI Firefighters battling a blaze encountered an alligator in a bathtub. The alligator is being held at a reptile shop while the owner looks for a place to stay. Twelve snakes, including Western hog noses and ball pythons, also survived the fire, but many other reptiles perished. Reptiles
June 29, 2016 Washington, DC Dorothy, a 58-year-old Cuban crocodile at the National Zoo, suffered a hole in her jaw from a fight with another crocodile named Blanche. Veterinarians performed surgery to fix it. Reptiles
June 27, 2016 Mishicot, WI Officers responded to a report of a large snake attacking a poodle. Tenants told deputies that they heard their dog yelp and found a ball python coiled around the dog, biting its ear. The tenant then threw the snake out of the apartment. It was found on a nearby patio in July, and was turned over to Wildlife of Wisconsin. Reptiles
June 27, 2016 Gadsden, AL A ball python named Jake was stolen from the Noccalula Falls Park petting zoo. The snake was returned to the park and police are investigating. Reptiles
June 26, 2016 Greenville, SC An 8-year-old boy was bitten by an exotic pet snake while on vacation. The family came across a man allowing people to hold or pet a nearly 5-foot-long Colombian red tail boa constrictor. The boy attempted to pet the snake, who bit him on the forearm. The snake was not venomous, and the owner will not face charges. Reptiles
June 26, 2016 Washoe Valley, NV Emergency crews encountered a pet alligator while responding to a medical call. Animal Control Services took the alligator into custody. Reptiles