November 20, 2012 Woodville, RI An exotic antelope called a Nilgai escaped while being traquilized in preparation to be shipped to a sanctuary. Officials put out a statement warning people not to shoot the animal thinking it was a deer because the animal could pose a deadly threat to humans if consumed. An investigation is underway to whether permits were ever issued to keep the animals. Other
November 17, 2012 Boise, ID A break-in at the Zoo Boise left a Patas monkey dead from blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Police have made an arrest in the case, but did not release details. Primates
November 8, 2012 Monroe, LA A 25-feet long, pregnant python escaped it’s enclosure and could not be found. Reptiles
November 5, 2012 Bozeman, MT A 24-year old man was mauled to death while cleaning a grizzly bear enclosure at a wildlife casting agency called Animals of Montana in Gallatin County. The bear was shot and killed. The death is being investigated. Bears
November 5, 2012 Pittsburgh, PA A 2-year old child was killed by African Painted Dogs when he fell into their enclosure at the Pittsburgh Zoo. The toddler’s mother had lifted him in a standing position on the 4-foot wall that overlooks the enclosure when somehow toppled over falling into the enclosure where he was set upon by the dogs. One dog was shot and killed, and the others were able to be corralled. The incident is under investigation. The same dogs had escaped their enclosure on May 5, 2012 into a “backup yard” not visible to the public, but the zoo claims the public was not at danger. Other
November 5, 2012 Roanoke, VA An 8-foot python escaped from its tank and was on the loose for 2 months before being found on the property. Reptiles
November 4, 2012 West Springfield, MA A man used his pet python to beat his girlfriend, then killed the snake by throwing it into the hot tub. Reptiles
October 29, 2012 Unknown, OH An 8-foot python was discovered in an Ohio field by a local farmer while plowing. It wasn’t until the farmer ran over the snake with the plow and killed it that he recognized the object as a snake. It is believed that the snake was someone’s former pet that had been set loose. Reptiles
October 27, 2012 Brainerd, MN Kevin Vogel, who operates Safari North Wildlife Park with his wife, was transporting a Syrian bear from his business’ headquarters to the wildlife park when it “escaped from a kennel-type enclosure with a faulty latch” at a restaurant in Clearwater, according to a USDA-APHIS report. The animal “encountered people in the parking lot of the restaurant” before its capture, but no one was injured. The bear was then taken to an animal hospital and rehabilitation facility. Vogel was fined $1,357. Bears
October 25, 2012 Longview, WA A popular reptile road show attraction burned down and killed about 75 reptiles, spiders and amphibians. Only 25 of approximately 100 exotic reptiles, amphibians and spiders survivied the blaze. ReptilesOther