September 10, 2015 Fort Worth, TX An elephant calf injured a zookeeper in September, and emergency responders and the Fort Worth Zoo offered two different versions of what happened. Fort Worth Fire Department reports say a 37-year-old female zookeeper suffered a “puncture wound from an animal,” and ambulance records show the victim was taken to a hospital with “serious injuries.” A zoo spokeswoman said she believes the worker suffered a relatively minor bump to the head. Elephants
September 8, 2015 San Jacinto, CA A sick, declawed tiger cub was reportedly found wandering the streets of San Jacinto and was brought to animal care by a woman who claims she found him. The cub, named Himmel, later died during a medical procedure to be neutered and repair his hernia. It is illegal to own a tiger in California and the police are investigating. Big Cats
September 6, 2015 Indianapolis, IN A 4-year-old cheetah named Pounce escaped from his enclosure. Guests were herded into “safe zones.” Pounce was spotted within an hour lying in an area of landscaping. Trainers hit him with a tranquilizer dart, which caused him to dash back to his exhibit. Big Cats
September 4, 2015 Beaumont, TX Theo, the 6-foot red-tailed boa constrictor escaped from his enclosure and was loose for a week before being captured hanging from a neighbor’s tree. Reptiles
September 2, 2015 Norfolk, VA A wallaby died of toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection carried in cat feces. A large population of feral cats roams the zoo’s property. This is one of the 15 wallabies, including six babies, who died at the Virginia Zoo since they were brought there for the Australia exhibit. Other
September 1, 2015 Orlando, FL An 8-foot-long king cobra named Elvis escaped his enclosure and was loose in a residential neighborhood. He was found under one of the neighbor’s dryers over a month later. Charges were filed against the owner, reality TV star Michael Kennedy, for failing to immediately notify state wildlife authorities. He voluntarily relinquished Elvis. Reptiles
August 28, 2015 Calvert County, MD A coyote wearing a collar and leash was found wandering a neighborhood. The coyote was euthanized for fear of rabies before the guardian was found. The man claims he bought the animal and thought it was a dog. The coyote did not have rabies. Other
August 28, 2015 Okeechobee, FL A tiger cub owned by exhibitor Sue Pearce was found injured with a swollen neck and bite marks. Pearce called the attending veterinarian and described the injuries, and the vet prescribed treatment over the phone without having examined the cub. The cub’s condition deteriorated, and she died the following day. Pearce was cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for failing to provide adequate veterinary care. Big Cats
August 27, 2015 Norfolk, VA A wallaby died of toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection carried in cat feces. A large population of feral cats roams the zoo’s property. This is one of the 15 wallabies, including six babies, who died at the Virginia Zoo since they were brought there for the Australia exhibit. Other