Search Exotic Incidents Database

An 8-year-old boy was attacked by a “pet” lemur at the home of a friend of his father’s. The lemur twice bit the young boy, who underwent a series of shots to prevent rabies. The “owners” of the lemur did not have a permit to have the animal and were cited.

A 350-pound, 3-year-old Siberian tiger named Tatiana attacked and injured a trainer at the San Francisco Zoo shortly after a public feeding. Visitors were quickly evacuated after the incident, and the exhibit was closed pending an investigation of the attack. The woman was taken to a local hospital with concern that she might lose her arm as a result of her injuries.

A worker discovers that a clouded leopard was missing from its enclosure at the National Zoo. The zoo was cordoned off and searched. The leopard was found sleeping near the enclosure, was anesthetized and returned to the enclosure.

A rare Chinese alligator was reported missing from Ellen Trout Zoo. Zoo officials spent the majority of the day looking for the alligator, but were unsuccessful. Though only 3 feet in length, the alligator was reportedly “capable of causing great harm if it bites a person”.

A 5-year-old boy was bitten by Boo-Boo, a 6-year-old bear at Patterson Wildlife Ranch. The boy, grandson of the facility owner, lost a finger. The bear was quarantined pending Health Department inspection.

A 130-lb wolf on the loose in the county was successfully tranquilized and recaptured by the County Dog Warden.

A trainer at SeaWorld San Diego, Ken Peters, was hospitalized with a broken foot after an orca named Kasatka grabbed him and twice held him underwater during a show.

Detectives captured what they thought was a baby alligator behind Spring Creek Towers. The reptile was taken to a facility run by Animal Care and Control in Brooklyn. It was suspected that the alligator was someone’s “pet.”

A tiger clawed an animal trainer during a performance of the Hadi Shrine Circus. The trainer was treated at local medical center for injuries to his hand and leg.

A 4-year-old girl was mauled by a cougar at a children’s birthday party. The cougar was brought in by a wild-animal business to entertain the youngsters, authorities said. The child suffered severe cuts on her eyelid, cheek, and ear. Doctors sewed back part of her severed ear. The cougar was killed and tested for rabies.