Search Exotic Incidents Database

Zoo officials said human error was to blame for the ozone-poisoning deaths of 10 black-tip reef sharks. The deaths occurred during a routine, weekly backwash procedure that put purified water into the aquarium.

An 80-year-old worker at Spotted Acres farm and petting zoo was mauled by bear and died from his injuries. The man was called to work because the bear had escaped from his cage; he was attacked when he got out of his truck holding a bag of dog food. Sheriff’s deputies shot the bear; the petting zoo owner also requested that another bear be killed.

Toni, a 40-year-old Asian elephant at the National Zoo, was euthanized after suffering from debilitating arthritis in her front legs.

Wandu, a 13-year-old cheetah at the National Zoo, was euthanized due to chronic kidney failure.

An elderly couple was attacked by a deer they had illegally raised as a “pet.” Both were hospitalized and the eight-point buck was shot and killed by the sheriff’s department.

Jake, a 1-year-old kangaroo, escaped from an open back gate at Colby’s Xtreme Pets and traveled half a mile down Texas Highway 26. A startled passerby called 911.

Sue, one of several Hawthorn Corporation Asian elephants scheduled to move to The Elephant Sanctuary pursuant to a 2004 settlement with the USDA for dozens of violations of the Animal Welfare Act, died prior to her move after an adverse reaction to the tranquilizer administered during blood tests on 12/19/05. Sue was 40 years old. A necropsy was scheduled to be performed.

A man was bitten by his cobra as he was trying to feed the animal.

A bobcat hybrid bit a child at a shopping mall after the “owner’ took the animal with him to use the restroom.

A sheriff’s deputy investigating an escaped “pet” bear incident found that the bear was not in the cage. When the deputy returned to his patrol car, the bear appeared and entered the patrol car. The bear was successfully recaptured. The bear had escaped previously.