Wednesday - October 19, 2011

Lock Your Doors Christopher!

Dozens Of Wild Animals Escape In Ohio
Ohio authorities are on the hunt for dozens of escaped wild animals.

The animals, which include lions, tigers and grizzly bears, among many others, escaped their enclosures. The owner of the exotic zoo was found dead.

Authorities say they are shooting to kill and have, so far, killed about 20 or so of the 40 or more animals.

Police say they have already killed some bears and wolves. But they are still getting a flood of reports coming in from people who have spotted wild animals along nearby highways.

Staffers from the Columbus Zoo are at the scene helping to tranquilize and capture the animals rather than seeing them shot.

Area schools have been closed for safety.

Flashing signs on the highways in eastern Ohio warned motorists Wednesday: Exotic animals on the loose. Call 911.

Schools shuttered and some frightened residents said they were hunkering down in their homes as sheriff’s deputies hunted lions, tigers, leopards and grizzly bears that escaped from a preserve after the death of the owner.

Police have not yet said how Terry Thompson died, but Zanesville Mayor Howard Zwelling told CNN Wednesday that Thompson freed the animals from their pens and then shot himself.

Thompson owned 48 exotic animals. About 30 to 35 of them had been found, said Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz. Those that had escaped from their pens were put down.

Zwelling said he received calls from people who were concerned that the animals had been killed. He said authorities were trying to use tranquilizers whenever possible to save their lives.

Thompson had his run-ins with the law. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal charges of possessing illegal firearms, including five fully automatic firearms, and had just been released from prison.

In nearby Licking County, Sheriff Randy Thorp said he has activated the county SWAT team “who will be equipped with night vision and the necessary weapons to deal with any encounters with such animals.”

The menagerie of about 48 animals on the loose also includes wolves, giraffes and camels. Commuters reported seeing bears and wolves along Interstate 70.

For their sake I hope the SWAT team has something a whole lot more powerful than little M16s. Bull giraffes can weigh a couple of tons, and adults grizzlies are pretty good sized bears. But any rifle is better than no rifle at all, and the little 5.56 round will probably do for close up head shots.

The fences had been left unsecured at the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville, in east-central Ohio, and the animals’ cages were open, police said. They wouldn’t say what animals escaped but said the preserve had lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves, giraffes, camels and bears.

More info here with pictures. Drat, once again the UK newspapers give better coverage to a story in the US than our own papers do!

Posted by Drew458     on 10/19/2011 at 09:08 AM   
Filed Under: • Animals •  
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