• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Animal Escapes

This was on the news this morning. The was some footage of a hippo with a tranquiliser dart in it.
What was slightly amusing was the marksman had ONLY JUST hit it.
 
A tiger that killed a man and wounded another after escaping from a flooded zoo in Georgia has been shot dead, the Georgian interior ministry says.

The animal was one of several to break free from enclosures at Tbilisi Zoo last weekend following severe flooding.

Police said they tracked the tiger to a disused warehouse but could not sedate it because it was too aggressive.

The flash floods devastated parts of Tbilisi, claiming the lives of 13 people, including three zoo keepers.

There was uncertainty on Wednesday about the number of dangerous animals still on the loose, with reports on Twitter of another tiger being cornered in a city centre cafe after the first was shot dead. ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33166224
 
People are being warned to be on their guard after a 9ft python escaped from a property in Essex.

The giant reptile disappeared from a home in Shoebury, a town at the mouth of the Thames Estuary, on Monday morning.

Experts believe the constricting snake might be hiding under a nearby garden shed and is likely to emerge when the sun comes out.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ear...9ft-python-on-loose-in-Shoebury-in-Essex.html
 
How fast is a python?

How far could it get in a day?

Depends on how good the car is.

john-cleese-fawlty-towers-o.gif
 
Emu on the run in English countryside
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/aug/19/emu-on-the-run-in-english-countryside

Police have issued an appeal for the capture of an emu on the run in the English countryside.

Thames Valley Police released a mugshot of the bird on Twitter, with instructions to the public to call police if they see the Australian flightless fugitive.

The bird has gone missing from a property about five miles east of Oxford, police said on Twitter.

Earlier in the week Suffolk police reported they were looking to reunite a lost emu, originally believed to belong to jockey Frankie Dettori, with its owner.


Frankie Dettori keeps Emus as pets? Bernie Clifton anyone?
 
The great escape: Inky the octopus legs it to freedom from aquarium
Staff believe the common New Zealand octopus fled its enclosure when the lid was left ajar and headed to freedom down a pipe that leads to the sea
Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin
Wednesday 13 April 2016 02.27 BST

An octopus has made a brazen escape from the national aquarium in New Zealand by breaking out of its tank, slithering down a 50-metre drainpipe and disappearing into the sea. :D

In scenes reminiscent of Finding Nemo, Inky – a common New Zealand octopus – made his dash for freedom after the lid of his tank was accidentally left slightly ajar.
Staff believe that in the middle of the night, while the aquarium was deserted, Inky clambered to the top of his cage, down the side of the tank and travelled across the floor of the aquarium.

Rob Yarrell, national manager of the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier, said: “Octopuses are famous escape artists.
“But Inky really tested the waters here. I don’t think he was unhappy with us, or lonely, as octopus are solitary creatures. But he is such a curious boy. He would want to know what’s happening on the outside. That’s just his personality.”

One theory is that Inky slid across the aquarium floor – a journey of three or four metres – and then, sensing freedom was at hand, into a drainpipe that lead directly to the sea.
The drainpipe was 50 metres long, and opened on to the waters of Hawke’s Bay, on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

Another possible escape route could have involved Inky squeezing into an open pipe at the top of his tank, which led under the floor to the drain.
“When we came in the next morning and his tank was empty, I was really surprised,” said Yarrell, who has not launched a search for Inky.
“The staff and I have been pretty sad. But then, this is Inky, and he’s always been a bit of a surprise octopus.”

etc...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-legs-it-to-freedom-from-new-zealand-aquarium
 
Take cover! Giant dog-eating owl on the loose in Devon
By WMNJBayley | Posted: April 13, 2016

Pet owners in Devon have been warned after a huge escaped eagle owl which can eat small cats and dogs was spotted perching in a quiet street.
Peter Thomas spotted the bird, thought to belong to a falconer, on the roof of a house after he heard a "deep booming hoot".

Pet owners have been warned to keep an eye out, as the eagle owl is capable of devouring small animals and can take foxes and even small deer in the wild.

Peter saw a "strange shape" hunched on a roof at around 11pm in Elton Road, Exeter.
He said: "It stopped us in our tracks. It was a reasonably clear night and looking up to the roof a strange shape was seen on the chimney which was the source of the hooting."
When Peter mimicked the call, the owl stood up and revealed its characteristically large head and ear tufts.
The eagle owl is said to be the biggest species of owl and is immensely powerful.

He added: "For those in the area with cats, rabbit and small dogs, beware as this bird is quite capable of taking such prey.
" I shall keep my eyes open to see if it remains in the area however there is probably a falconer who has lost this bird.
"I have contacted some falconer friends of mine and they mentioned that an eagle owl had gone missing from Exwick.
"The owners have been told and they are going to come and see if they can spot the bird."

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Gia...wners-warned/story-29103750-detail/story.html
Read more: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Gia...tory-29103750-detail/story.html#ixzz45jK5AB4I
 
Man blames 'shiny bald head' for eagle owl near miss
Jonathan Morris, BBC News Online

Posted at 13:22
An Exeter man has spoken about how an eagle owl swooped on him because of his bald head.

Richard Clevedon Smith was walking through Southernhay in the city to the bus depot at about 04:00 last week when the bird swooped.

He said: "I heard the hooting first and just happened to look round and this great big bird came down with massive wings and its talons out.

"It came towards my head so I ducked down and it flew off. I reckon it was the light shining on my bald head that attracted it - it could even have thought my head was an egg. It's something I will never forget."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-36057790#lx-commentary-top
 
Toronto on the Lookout for 2 Escapees — Rodents From a Zoo

OTTAWA — All of Toronto is talking about the daring breakout. Mayor John Tory went to the scene of the escape on Wednesday to quiz officials about their plans. Everyone in town has one eye out for the fugitives, but no one wants to meet them in a dark alley.

Who’s on the loose? A pair of capybaras.

The animals, native to South America, are the world’s largest rodent — picture an oversize tail-less beaver, or maybe a 125-pound guinea pig. A small zoo in High Park, on the city’s west end, already had one and was taking delivery of two more, a mating pair bred in Texas, when they bolted early Tuesday morning.

A passer-by reported glimpsing them in the area Tuesday night, but when Mr. Tory arrived on Wednesday, park officials seemed no closer to recapturing the as-yet nameless young lovers. The mayor was left to look over the zoo’s remaining capybara, Chewy, who sat in the grass in an otherwise empty fenced-in enclosure. ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/americas/capybaras-toronto-canada.html?smid=tw-share
 
Police deploy helicopter over Dartmoor in search for escaped lynx
Officers warn people not to approach animal that escaped from its enclosure at Dartmoor zoo
Steven Morris, Damien Gayle and agencies
Thursday 7 July 2016 15.59 BST

The moors of south-west England are often associated with stories of big cats haunting the wilderness, but in this case a real-life hunt – including a police helicopter, which has been hovering above the area around Dartmoor Zoological Park in search of the animal – is under way.

Schools have been alerted and people have been told not to approach the cat if they see it. Officers were going house to house in Sparkwell, on the edge of Dartmoor, to offer advice and help with the search on the ground.

The lynx, which is a similar size to a domestic dog and grey/silver in colour, escaped from its enclosure at about 10.20am on Thursday.

Devon and Cornwall police said members of the public should call 999 immediately if they spot the lynx. “The animal should not be approached as it could become dangerous if alarmed or cornered,” a spokesman said. “Officers have visited two local schools to offer safety advice and reassurance.

“All children at All Saints primary school are not in school as they are away on a field trip. Police are also working with staff at Little Orchard Montessori school to make sure they are kept inside.”

A National Police Air Service helicopter has been deployed to assist with the search of the boundaries of the park.
The escaped animal is a Carpathian lynx, otherwise known as a Eurasian lynx. It is a solitary and secretive animal that normally lives in forests in Europe and Siberia.
The Carpathian lynx mainly preys on hoofed mammals such as deer, as well as hares, rabbits, rodents and grouse. It avoids humans.

According to the Lynx UK Trust, the cats vary in size from 31.5in (80cm) to 51in in length and up to 27.5in at the shoulder. They weigh between 40lb (18kg) and 88lb.
“The preferred hunting technique is to stalk and pounce on prey utilising the dense cover of their preferred forested habitats; ambush hunting is occasionally used as well,” the website states.
“As all felines, Eurasian lynx are a highly efficient hunter, quickly bringing down prey with weight, momentum, agility and claws, then killing by choking at the throat or suffocating at the mouth and nose.”

Wolves are natural predators for the Carpathian lynx, which is also threatened by habitat destruction and illegal hunting.
The species has bounced back from near extinction but is still critically endangered in some areas, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.

There are often reported sightings of wild cats, including lynx, in the south-west, and it is not the first time an animal has escaped from the zoo. A wolf called Parker escaped twice, in 2005 and 2007. On the first occasion he was re-captured outside a local pub, the Treby Arms; the second time he was found in a quarry, shot with a tranquilliser and returned.

Before that, the zoo had an unfortunate experience when a jaguar called Sovereign got into Tammy the tiger’s cage. A nasty fight ensued.

In 1998 police launched an investigation after a motorist reported seeing a lion on Dartmoor. A large paw print was found but the big cat was never found. Nobody reported a lion being missing.

Around 30 visitors who were at the zoo when the lynx escape was discovered were asked to leave and the site was closed on the advice of the local council.

The zoo’s operations manager, George Hyde, said the two-year-old male lynx arrived on Wednesday evening, and when keepers came to check on it on Thursday the animal had gone.

Speaking in a video posted on the Plymouth Herald website, he said: “Yesterday evening we took delivery of a new male lynx, who came to us from Port Lympe [an animal park in Kent].
“He was delivered into the house in his enclosure at around 7 o’clock last night, at 7.30 he was settled into the house and he was calm. The keepers who delivered the lynx went home for the evening.

“That’s the usual routine. When the keepers went to the lynx enclosure this morning, shorty before 10, they discovered that the lynx had found a weakness on the interior of the house.”
He continued: “Immediately we gathered together all of the staff and volunteers on site, which is about 30 people. We split them into teams with the keepers and we did a very through search of the entire 33-acre site. The site is an actual woodland park with lots of overgrown areas and lots of trees and lots of places for a frightened cat to hide.

“We did a very thorough search of the interior of the park and established as far as we were able that the cat had escaped. The police were on site within about 20 minutes.
“We advised all of our immediate neighbours – all the farms and properties – and the police helped us out with all the local schools. They called a helicopter. We weren’t expecting much from it because it’s daylight and it’s a very small cat, he’s likely to be very frightened.”

Hyde said: “Quite fortunately we are in a rural location so the likelihood of the lynx coming into contact with people if very slim. If he did, he would look to get away from those people rather than attack. He is captive-bred – he has never hunted and never killed for food. The likelihood is that he is very scared, very anxious and he will stay away from people.”

The enclosure had been the home of another group of eight lynx, which had not found the weakness exploited by the new arrival.
Hyde said the new lynx, who had not yet been given a name, was last fed before he began his journey on Wednesday, so would not be desperate for food.

Asked whether he was embarrassed to have lost a lynx, Hyde said: “It’s a challenge. Animal containment always poses the possibility that you will face a situation like this. We are prepared for these kind of situations. They are always very fluid.
“The threat is very, very low. He is unlikely to pose any kind of threat unless he were put under any pressure, unless he was cornered. There is plenty of open space for him to stay well clear of people and it’s likely that’s what he will do.”

etc...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/07/dartmoor-zoological-park-escaped-lynx-police-search
 
Lynx still on the loose from Dartmoor Zoo

A lynx that escaped from Dartmoor Zoo on Thursday is still on the loose but has been sighted by staff.
Police and zoo staff spent the night searching for Flaviu who had arrived at the zoo from Kent on Wednesday.

On Thursday night the zoo said it had received a sighting on farm land outside the boundary of the park in Sparkwell near Plymouth.
Flaviu is the size of a large domestic cat and could be dangerous if cornered, police said.

A Dartmoor Zoo spokesman said: "We can confirm we've had a positive sighting in the area we expected Flaviu to head to. We are looking forward to having him home safely."
Park staff set 25 humane traps baited with meat. A vet is at the scene with a tranquiliser dart gun if required.

Devon and Cornwall Police used thermal imaging cameras overnight to assist with the search.
[According to lunchtime TV, these cameras were on Drones, and did make sightings.]

The zoo took delivery of the animal on Wednesday from Port Lympne wildlife park in Kent and settled him into his new house at 19:30 BST.
A Dartmoor Zoo spokesman said: "He is extremely timid and his instinct will be to stay away from people, so we are asking the public to be vigilant and inform the police on 999 if they see him."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-36715287
 
Search for Dartmoor Zoo's escaped lynx is called off after sighting on farm
By CGMikeS | Posted: July 08, 2016

The search for a missing lynx has been called off after experts traced the wild cat to a nearby farm.

The lynx, a two-year-old Carpathian called Flaviu, fled Dartmoor Zoo late on Wednesday night after squeezing through a six by four inch hole he had made in the wall of his enclosure.
The great escape sparked a large-scale manhunt[?!], with officers from Devon and Cornwall Police, drones, members of the public, vets and zoo staff involved in a search yesterday.

Flaviu
The%20lynx%202.png


Police say the lynx should not be approached as it could be dangerous if alarmed or cornered.
Yesterday they attended two local schools to ensure the safety of the children, and launched a force helicopter to search for the animal.

Later in the day it was spotted on farm land by staff and drone footage, and several humane traps were set.
George Hyde, operations manager at the zoo, said the hungry lynx - which is the same size of a Labrador - has "shown interest" in the traps but so far evaded capture.

He said: "We have withdrawn the team and we will keep people in the area to an absolute minimum.

"The risk is if lots of people are searching the area, he could become uncomfortable and move on.

"We are really hopeful of catching the lynx and returning him to the zoo safely later today. It's a bit disappointing that we didn't manage to retrieve him yesterday, but we know where he is and his hunger is beginning to take over."
...

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said a "human cordon" would serve as a back-up plan if the traps failed to work.
"Park staff set 25 humane traps baited with meat in the area, and if these have not captured the lynx the intention today is to make a human cordon of staff and police officers and move the lynx back towards the park," the spokesperson explained.
"A vet is at the scene with a tranquiliser dart gun if required."

Mr Hyde has moved to reassure the public, who have been posting their concerns on social media, that the lynx will almost certainly be recovered unharmed.
He added: "He is nervous and he is anxious, but he is not a danger to the area he is in, which is well away from any built-up areas, and he is no danger to livestock.

"Lots of people on social media have been comparing it to the Cincinnati Zoo incident with the gorilla named Harambe, in which live firearms were used.
"We cannot stress enough that it is always been our intention to effect a safe capture and we have not any point deployed live firearms."
Dartmoor Zoo will remain closed to the public today while staff recover from last night's search, which went on until 3am.

http://www.westbriton.co.uk/lynx/story-29490805-detail/story.html
 
Dartmoor Zoo to probe 'sheep attack', as lynx hunt enters second week
By samblackledge | Posted: July 14, 2016

A dog walker who came across a dead sheep near Dartmoor Zoo believes it may be connected to the missing lynx.
The resident of Lutton, who did not want to be named, said he was walking his dog this morning and accidentally strayed into a segregated area where Flaviu the lynx is believed to be living.

"I came across a sheep which had been killed," he said.
"It had an open wound on the top of its neck.
"It might have died of natural causes then something has tried to eat it, I'm not sure because I'm not a qualified vet.
"It seems a bit of a coincidence that this sheep has died in the segregated area while the lynx is still missing."

Zoo founder Ben Mee said he would investigate but thinks it is unlikely Flaviu would have attacked a sheep.
"Last night we put out more camera traps and checked the existing ones," he said.
"We didn't find anything but we think the activity itself caused him to be disturbed.
"The food is still being taken but there have been no new sighting for a couple of days.
"I am still happy that he is likely to be in the area."

Mr Mee said bedding belonging to Flaviu's mother will arrive at the zoo today, while staff at her home in Kent are going through video footage trying to capture her sound,which will then be played out across the moor.

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/dar...-second-week/story-29511792-detail/story.html
 
I say, no time to iron the serviettes, mama, Flaviu the lynx is missing.
 
Dartmoor zoo calls in animal tracker in search for escaped lynx
Tracker has equipment that can spot traces of body heat, and has shared tips such as rubbing cowpats on searchers’ feet
Steven Morris and Simon Trump
Saturday 23 July 2016 08.00 BST

A professional animal tracker with state-of-the-art thermal imaging equipment has been brought in to bolster attempts to recapture a lynx that escaped from Dartmoor zoo.
The tracker, who has worked on conservation projects in the UK and the US, has already carried out preliminary reconnoitres of the six square mile area of farm, woods and moorland over which the animal, named Flaviu, is believed to be roaming.

Flaviu went missing on Wednesday 6 July after chewing his way out of his wooden house within hours of arriving at the zoo. Since then he has evaded attempts to lure him back into captivity.
The zoo’s operations manager, George Hyde, said: “Our task is being made more difficult because Flaviu is roaming over a wider and wider area. He seems to be looping out in each direction and those loops are getting bigger and bigger.”

He said the advice of the tracker, who asked not to be named because of the nature of some of his work, had been invaluable. “There were little tips he pointed out to us which will be incredibly useful in future, for example rubbing cowpats on our feet to disguise our scents.
“A lynx in the wild will be familiar with the smell of a cow and its dung, whereas the smell of a human would put it on its mettle because it would see us as a possible threat.”

The tracker went on his first five-hour exploratory mission on Thursday night and took as his starting point the last confirmed sighting of Flaviu, which was by a quarry worker on his way home.

etc...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...mal-tracker-in-search-for-escaped-lynx-flaviu
 
Report lynx has been shot dead is untrue and 'horrible' says Dartmoor Zoo
By CturnerHerald | Posted: July 26, 2016

Dartmoor Zoo says there is no truth in reports that the lynx which escaped from their site on the edge of Plymouth has been shot and killed.

A website has carried a report claiming the lynx, Flaviu, had been shot by local farmers, under a picture of a lynx on a mortuary table with blood around its head.
The site, Civil Unrest, quotes an 'anonymous farmer' as saying: "We do not care for wild cats round these parts and especially ones that will harm our livestock. The lynx wandered onto our land and we finished him off with some nice shotgun action. We are now waiting for the local authority to come and collect the carcass".

The website carries a number of seemingly true but outrageous stories about celebrities and national as well as international affairs.
Those who scroll to the bottom of the site will find the message: "All stories and content have been made up with the exception of some stories which are actually true.
"Civil Unrest is not intended for readers under 18 years of age, or if you are a celebrity/politician who is up to no good."
The post, entitled "Dartmoor Zoo Escaped Lynx Wild Cat Has Been Shot By Local Farmers" was put up on the site on July 17.

Dartmoor Zoo owner, Ben Mee, has diffused [sic] the rumours, labelling the spoof piece "horrible".
He said: "We found evidence last night that Flaviu is very much alive and in fact, he is doing annoyingly well.
"We've put some ocelot bedding down in a humane trap which has a pungent and attractive smell so we hope he won't be able to resist that."

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/dar...t-and-killed/story-29552675-detail/story.html
 
Dartmoor Lynx recaptured after three weeks on run

A lynx that escaped from Dartmoor Zoo in Devon has been captured - after more than three weeks on the run.
The police had warned that the cat, named Flaviu, could be dangerous if cornered.

The Carpathian lynx, the size of a large domestic cat, was found after walking into a humane trap and is now back at the zoo.
Zoo owner Ben Mee told BBC Radio Devon it was "a huge relief" to have got the animal back.
He said that they had been "living in the hope" that he would wander into a trap looking for food.

"I've been speaking to lynx trackers all around the world and I was getting more confident that he would end up doing this but the timescale was the thing that worried me. They said it could be a week or six weeks or six months."
Flaviu was trapped about a quarter of a mile away from the zoo in woods at Hemerdon.

Thirty members of staff and volunteers began combing the zoo but found no trace of the animal, concluding that he had left the park.
Search teams were organised in the local area, while 25 humane traps were baited with various types of meat.

Head tracker Andrew Goatman set a trap where Flaviu had killed a lamb said Mr Mee.
"The farmer moved the sheep away from the area and Andrew set the trap using veal, knowing that Flaviu would return to the scene of the kill," he said.
"When we came back we found a very irritated lynx."

Mr Mee said he now wanted to find a female lynx to keep Flaviu company.
"He's at the right age, so that's the next priority," he said.
"We have also taken extra precautions to prevent another escape by putting a roof on the lynx enclosure."

Devon and Cornwall Police had previously used thermal imaging cameras to assist with the search.
Dartmoor Zoo took delivery of the animal on 6 July from Port Lympne wildlife park in Kent but it escaped the next day.

It is the third escape from the zoo after a jaguar got loose from a pen and into a tigers' enclosure in 2006 before it was sedated by keepers.
In 2007 a wolf clambered over the top of its enclosure before being recaptured.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-36935424
 
Runaway cow 'rugby tackled' in Western Australia

A cow on the loose for more than 24 hours since escaping from a cattle ship at Western Australia's busiest cargo port has been recaptured by rangers.
The animal absconded while being loaded at Fremantle Harbour, jumped into the water and swam to shore.
Several eyewitnesses spotted the animal roaming coastal parks and, apparently, enjoying a beachside sunset.
The cow was eventually caught on the railway 7km (four miles) away in the western suburbs of Perth on Monday.

Josh Gammon-Carson, from Fremantle Sea Rescue, was called out after the cow was spotted in the water.
"We used our jet ski to safely try and assist it and guide it back to the nearest beach, where it could actually get out of the water safely, which it did," he told the BBC.
"Unfortunately the area wasn't properly contained and the cow escaped from there and ran off into land."

Despite a number of sightings on Sunday afternoon, the cow managed to elude council rangers.
One woman claimed on social media that she spotted the animal running around the coastal park, while another woman photographed the beast at the beach as the sun set.

The local council confirmed that the animal was captured on a railway line in the Perth's western suburbs.
"The freight line operator has stopped the trains," a city spokeswoman said in a statement.
"Owners the Wellard Group, vets and rangers are on the site."

Ten News reporter Beau Pearson who was at the scene told Radio 6PR it took a significant effort before the cow was loaded back on to a truck.
"It was a bit of a standoff for a few hours here in the sun," he said.
"It took about five blokes to rugby tackle him down on the railway track."

Australia's annual live-cattle exports - sent to countries including Indonesia, Vietnam and China - are valued at A$1.4 billion (£850m, $1bn).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-37969977
 
In the mood for trouble.

A rogue cow had to be tranquilized Friday when it broke loose from its farm, went for a wander, and rammed a police car on Long Island.

The runaway bovine was strolling around Medford when cops were called to corral it around 11 a.m., according to Suffolk County Police.

When a squad car arrived at the scene, the mad cow darted straight toward it — striking the vehicle before trotting away.

The officer inside was not seriously injured. ...

http://nypost.com/2017/09/01/cow-on-the-lamb-rams-police-car/
 
A pet pig escaped from its pen before biting a woman in the street.

The runaway pet broke free from its enclosure in Heathfield Lane, Darlaston, on Wednesday, and into the residential road.

It bit the 61-year-old on both of her legs. She was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital for treatment, paramedics said.

"The pig was taken back to its pen at a home in the same road," West Midlands Police said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-41524030#

The woman may have been carrying pork products.
 
Back
Top