Search Exotic Incidents Database

Ryma, a 17-year-old male Masai giraffe, died of bloat, a sudden, excessive buildup of gas in the stomach. Zoo officials described this as a rare digestive illness that probably was triggered by a combination of other health problems.

A 43-year-old man was strangled to death by his 10-ft-long “pet” Burmese python.

A woman was hospitalized in critical condition with a skull fracture after she was attacked and bitten by a 750-lb declawed tiger. The woman had been painting in preparation for a photo shoot at Steve Sipek’s private animal compound.

While being led to a holding pen at the Miami Metrozoo, a 1,400-pound camel knocked a handler to the ground and rolled and stomped on him. The camel was one of three giving children rides at zoos throughout Miami-Dade County. The handler was airlifted to the hospital and later released.

A dog was killed by the neighbor’s “pet” wolf-hybrid.

A 58-year-old woman was bitten on the head by a 750-lb Siberian-Bengal mix tiger named Bobo. Bobo was the pet of former Hollywood actor Steve Sipek.

The woman, Carol Pistilli, survived but was in the hospital for two months. She sustained permanent damage to her face.

An escaped “pet” bear was spotted in Hoosier National Forest.

A freedom-seeking “pet” iguana was blamed for igniting a fire that damaged an apartment complex by knocking over a heat lamp.

Two animal handlers at Wild Wilderness Drive Thru Safari were attacked while transferring cougars between cages. One handler received multiple bites to the arm and leg, and the other was bitten in the face.

A 12-year-old boy lost the tip of his finger when his “pet” iguana bit it off.