September 8, 2004 Peoria, IL A worker at the Wildlife Prairie State Park was in critical condition after a black bear mauled him. The 5-year-old bear was out of his den when the worker entered the bear’s pen to feed him. Officials suspected the gate to the bear’s den had been left unlocked. The worker suffered severe leg injuries and nerve damage. Bears
September 6, 2004 Trenton, ME An employee of the Acadia Zoological Park was seriously injured by a 13-year-old leopard. Details of the incident were not released. The man was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries to his face and arm. The zoo declined to say whether leopard was quarantined or destroyed. Big Cats
September 4, 2004 North College Hill, OH A woman died after being bitten by her venomous snake. Her house was home to 10 venomous snakes and 13 non-venomous reptiles. Reptiles
August 31, 2004 Bat St. Louis, MS A 17-ft-long Burmese python escaped from his enclosure and was loose for four days before he was recaptured. Reptiles
August 6, 2004 Fort Polk, LA A 1-year-old tiger was on the loose in a thick brush area surrounding an Army base. Big Cats
August 5, 2004 Polk City, FL 8-month-old Asian elephant Riccardo fractured both hind legs after falling off a tub during pre-training. He was euthanized due to his injuries. Elephants
August 4, 2004 Belfair, WA An 8-ft-long alligator escaped and was likely living in the Trails End Lake. Reptiles
August 3, 2004 Madison, WI A second child was sickened by Salmonella after handling small turtles. Her parents purchased some turtles and two days later their 4-year-old daughter became ill. Reptiles
August 1, 2004 Lucas County, OH Three bobcats escaped from their enclosure after someone cut a hole in the cage. One of the bobcats returned home and the other two were still on the loose. Small Cats
August 1, 2004 Brooklyn, NY Darla, a 5-year-old macaque monkey, bit a 2-year-old boy in his grandparents’ shopping cart at a local grocery store. Primates