Search Exotic Incidents Database

Chicago, IL – A rare, endangered exotic cat was captured after being reported on the loose in the north suburbs. Hoffman Estates police captured the caracal at a home after several days prowling the neighborhood near Hilldale Golf Club.

Officers surrounded a resident’s home just after 8 a.m. Tuesday after one of her neighbors spotted the feline on her back patio and called the police. The cat retreated under the deck as police closed in; officers eventually used a tranquilizer rifle to sedate the animal and then cage them. Luckily, the caracal was not harmed, police said.

It took nearly a dozen officers more than two hours to finally corner the feline. Now, the cat is headed to the Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat in Sharon, Wisconsin.

Sioux Falls, SD – An ostrich was found frantic in the middle of South Louise Avenue the morning of Aug. 27th, heading south in front of Coffea Roasterie.

Sioux Falls Animal Control confirmed that the lost ostrich belonged to an owner with a faulty door on the back of his trailer. The owner was able to fetch him promptly, fix the mechanical issue on the trailer, and be on his way with the ostrich in tow.

Rhoades could not confirm where the owner of the ostrich was coming from or going to, only that he was passing through Sioux Falls.

Houston, TX – Less than a week after announcing the birth of a tiny African piglet, a Texas zoo is mourning after the piglet was fatally attacked.

On Aug. 25, just two days after sharing the good news, the zoo said the newborn red river hog is dead, and that an adult hog was responsible. “Despite our team’s best efforts, the piglet passed away after being unexpectedly attacked by another female hog in the group,” zoo officials said.

Zoo officials said the piglet’s death is a tragic example of nature taking its course. “In the wild, animals sometimes display aggression toward young ones, especially when establishing social hierarchies within their groups. While difficult for all of us, it’s important to recognize that such behaviors are part of the complex natural world,” officials said.

The zoo didn’t say if this incident will change the way it cares for the hogs going forward. It’s also unclear what, if anything, has been done regarding the hog that attacked the newborn.

Jacksonville, FL – A gorilla named Bulera at the Jacksonville Zoo has died unexpectedly due to shigella. Shigella is a bacterium that mainly affects the intestines and can cause digestive complications. According to the zoo, “Although we may never know the exact source, the bacteria may have come from an asymptomatic ape or, though unlikely, a staff member.”

Bridgeton, NJ – A woman has been charged after climbing into a tiger enclosure at a New Jersey zoo. The incident happened at Cohanzick Zoo on Aug. 18.

The Bridgeton Police Department said 24-year-old Zyair J. Dennis has been charged with one count of defiant trespassing. Chief of Police Michael Gaimari also said two city ordinances were issued following the incident, which cover the general conduct of people at the zoo pertaining to climbing fences. Video of Dennis climbing into the tiger enclosure went viral on social media last week. In the footage, Dennis can be seen jumping over a fence and approaching a tiger enclosure. She reaches into the cage before quickly pulling her hand out when a tiger reacts aggressively.

Police said there is also similar footage of Dennis conducting the same actions at a bear enclosure that same day.

Austin, TX – The city’s tranquil Barton Creek Greenbelt has been rocked by an unexpected visitor: Emily the pet alligator. The 4-foot-long reptile escaped from her enclosure and has been roaming freely, causing a stir among park-goers and wildlife enthusiasts alike. Emily’s owners, who live nearby, had kept her as a pet for several years. It is believed that Emily managed to break free by overpowering the lock. Since her escape, Emily has been spotted in various areas of the park.

Wildlife experts have advised against approaching Emily, as even small alligators can be dangerous. They have also emphasized that it is illegal to keep alligators as pets in Texas without a permit. Authorities have been actively searching for Emily, using bait and traps. They are urging anyone who sees her to call 911 immediately.

Miami, FL – On August 6, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) demanded that the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigate Zoological Wildlife Foundation after animals injured staff and customers in a string of incidents at the Redland facility. Among the incidents were a capuchin monkey named Romeo biting three children and a Gila monster bite that put the zoo director — exotic animal enthusiast and 1980s drug kingpin Mario Tabraue — in anaphylactic shock.

PETA claims the zoo engaged in “dangerous publicity stunts and hands-on encounters that have gone horribly wrong.” The organization sent a letter to federal regulators, saying they should investigate the Miami-based zoo for potential violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) records show that in January 2022, an Endangered Species Act-protected jaguar lacerated a staff employee’s finger while being fed. The employee received stitches at the hospital. Additionally, in 2014, a white tiger bit off a construction worker’s thumb; six years later, a 40-pound chimpanzee purportedly bit a child, PETA says. Then, in 2021 and 2023, a lion cub bit guests during public encounters, according to the organization.

Chester County, SC – Chester County officials are searching for a loose African serval that escaped a house during a fire on Wednesday night.

The fire happened at a home on East Lacey Street in Chester. When firefighters arrived at the house, the owner told them his African serval ran away during the fire. Two domestic cats were found dead at the house, but the serval remains unaccounted for as of 11 a.m. Friday.

The African serval is not domesticated and poses a “significant risk” to the public due to potential aggression and strength, the sheriff’s office said. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources initially issued a “shoot on sight” order, but rescinded this notice after consulting with local law enforcement.

Chester County officials gave the owner four hours to locate the animal. If the animal wasn’t found in that timeframe, officers were told to take “necessary measures,” including killing the serval.