Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!(Among Others...)

[TFatseas]

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — Dozens of exotic animals escaped Tuesday from a wild animal preserve that houses bears, big cats and other beasts, and the owner was found dead there, said police, who shot several of the creatures and urged residents to stay indoors.

The fences had been left unsecured at the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville, and the animals' cages were open, police said. They wouldn't say what animals escaped but said the preserve had lions, wolves, tigers, giraffes, camels and bears. Bears and wolves were among 25 animals that were shot and killed, police said, and there were multiple sightings of exotic animals along a nearby highway.

"These are wild animals that you would see on TV in Africa," Sheriff Matt Lutz warned at a news conference.

He called the escaped animals "mature, very big, aggressive," but said a caretaker told authorities the preserve's 48 animals had been fed on Monday. Police were patrolling the 40-acre farm and the surrounding areas in cars, not on foot, he said, and were concerned that big cats and bears could be hiding.

"This is a bad situation," Lutz said. "It's been a situation for a long time."

Lutz said his office started getting phone calls about 5:30 p.m. that wild animals were loose just west of town on a road that runs under Interstate 70...

Rest at link...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,2040741.story