NC Zoo Response to Animal Escape

NC Zoo

Large Land Mass (2000 acres)

Rural Location Heavily Wooded

Primary Containment

Primary Containment

Approximately 1500 animals of 225 species

Several “Dangerous Species”

Secondary Containment

8 foot tall perimeter fence

14,500 Linear Feet of Perimeter Fence

Escaped Animal Recapture Procedure

Written Document Quarterly Drills Firearms Training for

Key Personnel

Incident Commander

Operations Commander

Park RangersZoo Com

(Internal and External Communications)

Media Relations

Weapons Team Veterinary Team Capture Team

Outside Agencies

Incident Commander

Oversees all Operations

Makes Key decisions Interfaces with

outside agencies Coordinates Zoo

teams

Outside Agencies

Randolph County Sheriff’s Department

State Highway Patrol North Carolina

Wildlife Resources Commission

North Carolina Forestry Service

Eastside Volunteer Fire Department

Notified if Animal Breeches Perimeter Fence or Serious Injury or Death

Operations Chief (Capture Coordinator)

Coordinates all aspects of animal recapture Weapons Team (Dispatch animal if necessary) Veterinary Team (Dart Animal if possible and

necessary) Animal Keepers (gather necessary equipment, man

gates, assist with capture of non-dangerous animals)

Park Rangers

Communications Crowd Control Traffic Control First Responders in

case of injury (Rangers are EMTs)

Call 911 to notify outside agencies if necessary

ZooCom

Part of Ranger Section

Monitors all radio traffic

Records Radio Traffic During Event

Documents events as they occur

Coordinates Communications

Media Relations

Brief State Agencies as Necessary

Brief News Media as Necessary

First Tier Dangerous Animals

First Tier Dangerous Animals

First Tier Dangerous Animals

First Tier Dangerous Animals

Second Tier Dangerous Animals

Second Tier Dangerous Animals

NC Laws Governing Keeping of Exotic Animals

No State-wide Legislation

North Carolina is one of 20 states that has no ban or state-established rules on owning exotic animals

The state makes it illegal to own indigenous wild animals such as cougars, bobcats, deer, squirrels or skunks.

Attempted State-wide Legislation In 2007, Sen. Ed Jones,

D-Halifax, introduced a bill that would ban private ownership of wild animals after a Wilkes County fourth-grader was killed by a tiger kept in his aunt's backyard, but the bill was met with instant opposition

After an Ohio man freed dozens of lions, tigers, bears and other dangerous animals before killing himself, Ohio changed its' law regarding keeping exotic animals. This law was based on the NC proposed legislation

N.C. SESS. LAWS §153A-131 - Possession or harboring of dangerous animals

A county may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the possession or harboring of animals which are dangerous to persons or property. No such ordinance shall have the effect of permitting any activity or condition with respect to a wild animal which is prohibited or more severely restricted by regulations of the Wildlife Resources Commission.

NC Counties with Exotic Animal Ordinances

Cabarrus Chatham Davidson Forsyth Gaston

Lee Montgomery Orange Randolph Surrey

N.C. SESS. LAWS §160A-187 - Possession or harboring of dangerous animals

A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the possession or harboring within the city of animals which are dangerous to persons or property. No such ordinance shall have the effect of permitting any activity or condition with respect to a wild animal which is prohibited or more severely restricted by regulations of the Wildlife Resources Commission

NC Cities with Exotic Animal Ordinances

Charlotte Garner Havelock North Topsail Beach Sylva

N.C. ADMIN. CODE tit. 2, r. 52B.0212 - IMPORTATION REQUIREMENTS: WILD ANIMALS

Skunk Fox Raccoon Ringtail Bobcat (includes Lynx and other North and

South American felines as cougars, jaguars, etc.)

Coyote Marten Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

North Carolina Wildlife Resources CommissionNC ST § 113-294

State law prohibits holding any wild animal or bird in captivity without a license from the Wildlife Resources Commission. Before the Commission can issue a license authorizing a person to keep a wild animal or bird in captivity, it must determine that the animal or bird was acquired lawfully and will not be kept merely as a pet. An approved facility must be provided.

Incidents (Escapes and/or attacks) involving exotic animals in NC (1990-2012)

Big Cats11

Reptiles11

Primates 8

Wolf/Hyrdid 2 Emu 2 Serval 2 Water Buffalo 1 Coati 1

Locations of Incidences