Search Exotic Incidents Database

A California woman visiting the Henry Vilas Zoo in Wisconsin climbed into a giraffe exhibit where she was first licked, then kicked by the animal. The woman sustained minor injuries and was cited for harassment of zoo animals.

A 6-foot long reticulated python has been missing for almost 2 weeks. Police have put out a notice, but the snake still has not been found.

A 6-foot Boa constrictor was found in the engine compartment of a vehicle while parked at a shopping center. Police were called and the snake was given to a man wanting to take care of it.

A 22-year old intoxicated woman collided with a car, then smashed into a Nassau County Fire Station while being strangled by a snake she had just stolen. The woman was charged with reckless endangerment, theft, reckless driving, driving while intoxicated and unlawful possession of marijuana. Then snake was returned to the pet store from where it was stolen.

A former veterinarian’s pet capuchin bit a woman at a Southern California pizzeria. The 38-year old woman who was bitten was treated at the hospital and the Capuchin was taken into quarantine for 6 months. The former veterinarian was also in possession of two other primates, another Capuchin and a tamarin, who were also impounded due to the lack of permits. It is illegal to own primates as pets in California.

A man was found living in a storefront with more than 600 animals, including a foot-long alligator, 2 hedgehogs, 2 pythons, a parrot and 5 corn snakes. All the animals were seized and taken to a shelter.

A black bear escaped his enclosure and ended up in a pond exhibit with harbor seals before being recaptured and returned to his enclosure at a South Texas zoo.

A conservation group filed a complaint just days after a male polar bear died unexpectedly alleging that the zoo was negelectful.

A 150-pound tortoise escaped his enclosure and was found wandering the streets of east Los Angeles. The tortoise was picked up by police and reunited with his family.

A woman ended up in the hospital after a lion bit off the tip of her finger. The woman claims the zookeeper allowed her and her daughter to go inside the cage, but the zoo is denying this allegation. The woman plans to sue the zoo.