February 12, 2010 Palm Harbor, FL A female volunteer as attacked by a chimpanzee. She was bit on the back of the head, her elbow, a broken thumb, and various bites and scratches. The sanctuary refused to allow an officer to come inside the sanctuary to check on the volunteer and took her to the emergency hospital themselves. This sanctuary has been written up on numerous violations by the USDA and for a time had their license revoked. Primates
February 1, 2010 Calhan, CO According to a citation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, zoo owner Nick Sculac failed to obtain veterinary care for a female leopard in obvious distress. He stated that the leopard was giving birth. After she was found dead an hour later, Sculac left her body overnight in the enclosure she shared with a male leopard. In the morning, the male leopard was found on top of the female, vocalizing and in distress. Sculac administered tranquilizers to the male and used a noose around his neck to remove him from on top of the female. Sculac then injected the male with a reversal drug and removed the noose. The male leopard appeared to have trouble breathing and was bleeding from the nose and mouth. He was discovered dead the following morning. Big Cats
January 31, 2010 Bakersfield, CA 30-year-old father and his 8-year-old daughter are attacked by a raccoon who had escaped from his cage. Man suffers severe bit wounds to his fingertip. Raccoon was captured and euthanized to undergo rabies test. Test proved negative. Zoo officials had prior knowledge that raccoon had escaped. Other
January 19, 2010 Calhan, CO According to a citation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, zookeepers failed to obtain veterinary care for a week for a female lynx named Phoebe who was suffering from a prolapsed uterus. Surgery revealed several inches of impacted feces, including wood shavings. Phoebe died following surgery from septicemia due to the length of time of the impaction. Small Cats
November 22, 2009 Laporte, IN A “pet” monkey attacked and caused injuries to a visitor’s infant child. Visiting parents got too close to the “pet” monkey’s cage when the monkey grabbed the hood of the baby’s coat, causing the baby’s head to repeatedly strike the metal cage. The infant’s injuries were not life-threatening and she was treated and released from the hospital the same night. Indiana is one of the few states that permits monkeys to be housed as “pets” without a permit. Primates
December 4, 2009 Tulsa, OK Amali, a 5-year-old giraffe who recently arrived at the Tulsa Zoo, died after an attempt to determine and treat injuries she suffered at the Wilds Zoo. Other
December 1, 2009 Marion County, TN Two hunters discovered a 3-ft-long alligator while hunting on Aetna Mountain. They captured the alligator and turned him over to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Reptiles
November 29, 2009 Carlsbad, CA Two hikers walking a trail at Aviara Cove in Batiquitos Lagoon spotted a 5-ft-long Burmese python snake. A volunteer from the Lagoon’s Nature Center captured the snake and County Animal Control took possession of him. Reptiles
November 27, 2009 Yonkers, NY Police captured a 5-ft-long boa constrictor on a Yonkers street. The snake, cold and lethargic when picked up, was turned over to the Exotic Pet Warehouse. Reptiles
November 27, 2009 Hollywood, FL A Florida man was reunited with his 1-year-old “pet” marmoset named Simon. Simon vanished as his possessor was preparing for a move from Hollywood to Fort Lauderdale. An unidentified man captured Simon and sold him. Authorities convinced the man to disclose the identity of the person to whom he sold Simon and they were able to return him to his possessor. Primates