September 6, 2016 Decatur, IL Clay, an 8-year-old red panda, was found dead in his enclosure. Necropsy results indicate that he likely suffered from cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that is not uncommon for red pandas. Bears
September 5, 2016 West Babylon, NY A man was airlifted to a hospital after he was bitten by one of his venomous snakes, an Egyptian saw-scaled viper. Bites from that snake can cause moderate to severe envenoming and can be life-threatening if not treated swiftly. They are illegal to own as pets in New York, and that snake, plus five others (including a monocled cobra and two rattlesnakes), were removed from the man’s home by SPCA officers. The snakes will be taken to a wildlife reserve in Massachusetts. Reptiles
September 3, 2016 Hot Springs, AR A 14-foot-python was left in a car in a parking lot with the window cracked open. The snake, Ginger, escaped through the window and onto the roof of the car. She was spotted by passersby, and her owner recaptured her. He said she was a “service pet.” Reptiles
September 2, 2016 Collegeville, PA Police officers were called to remove a 2-foot alligator from a residential neighborhood. He is likely an escaped or abandoned pet. Reptiles
September 2, 2016 Denver, CO Dolly, an approximately 52-year-old Asian elephant, was euthanized due to declining health. She suffered from foot issues and age-related arthritis. Elephants
September 1, 2016 Utica, NY Nigel, a 16-year-old Bactrian camel, died after several years of struggling with arthritis and complications of aging. Other
August 31, 2016 Lake Lanier, GA Seven weeks after it was first spotted, a 3-foot alligator in Lake Lanier was captured by a Department of Natural Resources trapper. He was relocated to South Georgia and released within the natural range of gators. Officials believe he was illegally owned and then released into the lake. Reptiles
August 30, 2016 Massillon, OK Pandora, a female hamadryas baboon, died. She was seized from Stump Hill Farm on May 4 by the state Department of Agriculture and was being housed at Black Pine Animal Sanctuary in Indiana. A necropsy revealed that she had several long-term health issues that contributed to her death, including leukemia, dozens of lesions or cysts deposited by parasites, fungal infection, decreased lung functionality, and emphysema. Primates
August 30, 2016 Sacramento, CA A 19-year-old red panda named Jane died in her sleep. She had been treated for gum infections, dental problems, and arthritis in her hips and knees. Bears
August 29, 2016 St. Petersburg, FL A 6- to 7-foot red tail boa constrictor was found under a truck. The snake, who was likely a pet, was removed by a local wildlife handler and will go to a new home. Reptiles