July 16, 2009 Quincy, IL A 4-ft-long boa constrictor escaped and was still loose when his possessor, a 54-year-old man, was charged with possessing a restricted animal without a permit and failing to report the animal’s escape. Reptiles
July 8, 2009 Memphis, TN A 1-day-old elephant calf died at the Memphis Zoo after stumbling and falling. The mother, Asali, tried to lift her calf and mortally injured her with her tusk. Zoo veterinary staff attended to the calf’s injuries but she died around 11:00am that morning. Elephants
July 1, 2009 Oxford, FL A 2-year-old girl was strangled by 12-ft-long Burmese python. The snake escaped from the family’s glass aquarium overnight and attacked the child. Authorities investigated the possibility that the snake escaped even after a parent stabbed it. Reptiles
June 20, 2009 Green Bay, WI A 17-year-old boy was bitten by a rattlesnake at his home. Local police and human officers removed about 13 venomous reptiles and amphibians, along with other non-venomous reptiles. The boy was hospitalized and was listed in stable condition. Reptiles
June 20, 2009 Foley, AL A citizen reported seeing a monkey at around 6:00pm near a church, but was unable to give a description of the primate to determine the species. Primates
June 15, 2009 San Diego, CA A trainer was hospitalized and treated for minor injuries after being bitten by a sea lion during a performance at SeaWorld San Diego. Marine
June 13, 2009 Toronto, ON The Toronto Zoo’s Tessa, just shy of arriving at her 40th birthday, was accidently knocked off her feet by her companion elephants during a routine feeding time. Efforts to raise her with heavy equipment failed and she died the same day. Elephants
June 12, 2009 Columbia, SC A gorilla briefly escaped his enclosure at the Riverbank Zoo and Garden and injured a food service employee. The gorilla returned to his enclosure on his own. Primates
June 5, 2009 Candia, NH An employee of Charmingfare Farm suffered a monkey bite trying to coax a macaque back into his cage. The macaque had been quarantined for 10 days by the state veterinarian. The employee received treatment and was listed in good condition. Primates
June 5, 2009 Homewood, MD A man reported seeing a monkey near his parked car. His wife scooped up some monkey droppings to prove that it was a monkey they saw. Police investigated. Primates