September 10, 2014 Hope, ME Full-time caregiver and founder of Hope Elephants in Maine was crushed by one of his elephants and died. Elephants
November 10, 2013 Sherwood, IL A long-time employee was mauled to death by a cougar at the WildCat Haven in Sherwood while cleaning the enclosure. Officials are looking to see if any protocols had been breached. Big Cats
October 11, 2013 Springfield, MO A zookeeper was killed by an elephant at the Dickerson Park Zoo. The man was coaxing the female elephant named Patience with a guide when she she suddenly lunged forward, knocking him down in a chute killing him. Elephants
March 6, 2013 Dunlop, CA A female volunteer for Project Survival Cat Haven in Dunlop, CA was killed by a male African lion. The lion was in turn killed by authorities. The lion was hand-raised by humans at the organization. Big Cats
November 5, 2012 Bozeman, MT A 24-year old man was mauled to death while cleaning a grizzly bear enclosure at a wildlife casting agency called Animals of Montana in Gallatin County. The bear was shot and killed. The death is being investigated. Bears
November 5, 2012 Pittsburgh, PA A 2-year old child was killed by African Painted Dogs when he fell into their enclosure at the Pittsburgh Zoo. The toddler’s mother had lifted him in a standing position on the 4-foot wall that overlooks the enclosure when somehow toppled over falling into the enclosure where he was set upon by the dogs. One dog was shot and killed, and the others were able to be corralled. The incident is under investigation. The same dogs had escaped their enclosure on May 5, 2012 into a “backup yard” not visible to the public, but the zoo claims the public was not at danger. Other
October 2, 2012 Chesterfield, VA Police say a man found dead in his home appeared to have suffered a snake bite. The man kept several poisonous snakes in his home despite an ordinance prohibiting them. Reptiles
May 30, 2012 Jolo, WV A “serpent-handling” West Virginia pastor died after his rattlesnake bit him during a church service. Pastor Mack Wolford believed Christians should handle snakes to test their faith. He also saw his father die of a snakebite when he was a teenager. Snake-handling is legal in West Virginia. Reptiles
June 14, 2011 Putnam Lake, NY A woman died after apparently being bitten by her pet Black Mamba. The woman also had more than six dozen snakes, 56 of which were poisonous, including a cobra, which is illegal to possess without a permit. A state investigation is underway. All 75 snakes are currently being housed at the Bronx Zoo. Reptiles
January 14, 2011 Knoxville, TN An 8,000 lb elephant named Edie at the Knoxville, Tennessee Zoo backed a trainer into a wall and crushed her to death. Elephants