One Exotic Animal Yet to be Found in Ohio Incident
By: Newsroom Solutions, NBC News Video
Updated: October 19, 2011
Authorities in eastern Ohio are now down to looking for one remaining monkey still on the loose after dozens of exotic animals were intentionally let out of a preserve near Zanesville.
Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz says the monkey is the only animal still missing after officers were forced to shoot to kill many of the animals freed by their owner before he killed himself Tuesday night.
Earlier today, Lutz said officers had most recently put down a grizzly bear and a mountain lion.
Sheriff Lutz said 49 out of 56 animals that were let go, had to be killed before they became a threat to public safety. Among them were black and grizzly bears, adult lions and more than a dozen rare Bengal tigers
Efforts were made to tranquilize the animals, but in some cases, they reacted aggressively and had to be killed.
Officers were able to save only a handful of the animals.
A man who lives next door to the preserve says he received a shock when he went to retrieve his agitated horse as the situation began to unfold.
Sam Kopchak said when he looked up, he saw a male African lion just on the other side of the fence.
Kopchak said he and his horse took shelter in his barn as other animals, including a bear and a tiger, made their way across his property.
Kopchak said it's unfortunate the animals had to be killed, but it was a dangerous situation.
Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz says the monkey is the only animal still missing after officers were forced to shoot to kill many of the animals freed by their owner before he killed himself Tuesday night.
Earlier today, Lutz said officers had most recently put down a grizzly bear and a mountain lion.
Sheriff Lutz said 49 out of 56 animals that were let go, had to be killed before they became a threat to public safety. Among them were black and grizzly bears, adult lions and more than a dozen rare Bengal tigers
Efforts were made to tranquilize the animals, but in some cases, they reacted aggressively and had to be killed.
Officers were able to save only a handful of the animals.
A man who lives next door to the preserve says he received a shock when he went to retrieve his agitated horse as the situation began to unfold.
Sam Kopchak said when he looked up, he saw a male African lion just on the other side of the fence.
Kopchak said he and his horse took shelter in his barn as other animals, including a bear and a tiger, made their way across his property.
Kopchak said it's unfortunate the animals had to be killed, but it was a dangerous situation.
