May 11, 2017 Columbia, SC A baby Western lowland gorilla died during birth due to complications. The mother, 11-year-old Macy, survived. Primates
May 10, 2017 Oldsmar, FL Two suspects were arrested for stealing two 12-inch Aztec boa constrictors and two albino tortoises from the Herp Hobby Shop. The boa constrictors were returned to the store. The tortoises have not been recovered. Reptiles
May 7, 2017 Salt Lake City, UT A 17-year-old, captive-bred African lanner falcon performing in the “World of Flight” bird show at the Hogle Zoo deviated from its usual routine and landed in the wolves’ enclosure. The wolves immediately killed the falcon. Other
May 7, 2017 Hattiesburg, MS Cinta, a Sumatran tiger, became ill and died. According to the zoo, “Cinta experienced a sudden onset of not eating or drinking and became severely dehydrated.” Big Cats
May 5, 2017 Little Rock, AR Little Rock police arrested three suspects following a break-in at the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center. The three men caused thousands of dollars in damage to educational exhibits and fixtures, including releasing turtles all over the floor. Additionally, a 3-foot alligator was stolen and later recovered from a vehicle. Reptiles
May 5, 2017 Wimauma, FL A zebra escaped from an Jennifer Caudill, whose family runs a traveling circus. The zebra was spotted grazing behind a neighbor’s RV. Police were unable to contain the zebra within the neighborhood, and it was next seen along a highway. One driver said the zebra ran into the driver’s side of his truck, shattering the side mirror glass and sending shards flying. The sheriff’s office aviation unit was called in, and they helped deputies on the ground corral and capture the zebra, who was then returned to its owner. This is the second time Caudill’s zebras have escaped; the first was in Philadelphia in 2015. Other
May 5, 2017 Phoenix, AZ A 28-year-old male Andean bear named Rizarro was euthanized. He had mobility issues, chronic osteoarthritis, and cancer that had spread to his organs. Bears
May 5, 2017 Marseilles, IL Conservation police and Animal Control officers seized a 27-inch long alligator from a woman’s home. She was cited with possessing an alligator without a special-use permit and possessing an alligator that is not in an “escape-proof” enclosure. The alligator was turned over to a trained individual for rehabilitation before being taken to a sanctuary. Reptiles
May 5, 2017 Andover, KS Steve, a pet tortoise, escaped and was on the loose in the neighborhood for several hours. A Facebook post from a soon-to-open exotic pet store helped reunite Steve with his family. Other
May 4, 2017 Columbia, SC Penny, a 37-year-old African elephant, was euthanized after she fell in her exhibit and was unable to stand. Elephants