Latest news with #pettingZoo
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Sad story behind viral image of emu toes amid Australia's invasive species crisis
It's common to hear stories of foxes getting into chicken coops and causing mayhem, or a farmer losing the odd lamb to a fox attack. But this incident shows just how lethal the invasive species can be for Aussie homeowners owners. Jo Caminiti has a property in Central Gippsland in Victoria where she fosters and homes domesticated emus. "They occupy the old orchard here with emu fencing, and they sleep all snuggled down together on the ground," she told Yahoo News. It's not your typical pet, and nor is it your typical fox victim. But she has shared the "devastating" story of losing a female emu, walking out to the orchard one day to find it killed and its head removed. "I found her dead a few metres away with her head gone. Of course that's very typical of foxes, they take what they can back to their cubs. "You could tell what had gone on in the grass that they [the emus] had been surprised at night... there were feathers where they were sleeping. "It looked like they got up and she hit another tree and fell down ... she tripped over and that's where her body was, with the head removed. There were lots of bite and scratch marks. "It was all a bit sad …. They'd been raised in a petting zoo in Melbourne originally." Jo, who holds a basic wildlife licence, shared a photo of her holding the feet of the deceased emu on social media this week in response to another social media post. When the image was re-shared by an Australian wildlife page, it attracted lots of attention. "If they can bring down such a massive bird imagine what they are doing to the numbers of our smaller more vulnerable natives," Wild Animals Australia wrote. "There was quite a lot of comments saying it couldn't possibly be a fox... well, you know, good on them," Jo told Yahoo, completely dismissing their skepticism. While the incident happened a couple years ago, Jo said there is no doubt in her mind that a fox was responsible. "There are lots of foxes around here," she said Friday. "You see them all the time... I'm just glad I've got a neighbour that has a gun licence and can keep the numbers down." Feral cats and red foxes have had a devastating impact on Australia's unique ecosystems, contributing significantly to the country's status as having the worst mammal extinction rate in the world. According to recent research by the Australian National University, there are thought to be some 1.7 million foxes in the country, with populations found on 80 per cent of the continent. Each year, foxes kill about 300 million native mammals, birds and reptiles. The species was introduced in the 19th century for recreational hunting, and now prey on native wildlife while also being a disruptive force in the agricultural industry by attacking livestock and poultry. While they're often less numerous than cats, foxes can be just as ecologically destructive in areas where native species haven't evolved defences against such efficient predators. Their presence is a key reason why efforts to recover threatened species often require large-scale predator control or the creation of fenced sanctuaries to give native wildlife a fighting chance. ☠️ Plea to Aussies over controversial substance found in bush 🦊 Aussie council under pressure as iconic species ravaged by foxes 🐜 Aussie mum's brutal injuries as property owners warned over fire ants Foxes are increasingly making their way into suburbs and built up metropolitan areas. But there are things you can do to help protect local wildlife and deter foxes, population management specialist Gillian Basnett explained recently to Yahoo. Her tips include: Don't leave pet food outside overnight Use enclosed compost bins Keep domestic animals secure at night Remove fallen fruit around fruit trees Keep garbage bins covered Block entry points to drains Close off access to underneath buildings Use fox-proof enclosures for poultry – remember foxes dig and can climb Turn off outside lights that might attract insects Reduce weeds that provide food and shelter, such as Blackberries Record sightings in FoxScan. Deterrents need to be intermittent as they will habituate quickly. E.g. sensor spotlights rather than lights on all the time. Have gardens with lots of plants that wildlife can hide in, grasses, shrubs, rocks, logs, etc. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The Guardian
12-05-2025
- The Guardian
Man died of ‘blunt force injuries' at US zoo after suspected kangaroo fight
Officials in South Carolina are investigating the death of a man who was believed to have been killed while fighting a kangaroo in an enclosure at a children's petting zoo. Eric Slate, 52, died of 'multiple blunt [force] injuries', according to Tamara Willard, the chief deputy coroner of Horry county, as reported by WPDE News. Local officials said Slate, brother of 5 Star Farm's owner, Robert Slate, liked to enter the enclosure containing kangaroos and wallabies and 'roughhouse' with a kangaroo named Jack. Mark Causey, a Horry council member, told Newsweek that the animal was not euthanized, and that inspectors would visit the farm this week to look at the enclosure and assess conditions at the zoo. A tribute posted to Facebook on Monday by Robert Slate featured a series of photographs of a man identified as Eric engaging with a kangaroo of almost the same height. 'Your memory will live on, your voice will be heard, and Jack (your buddy, the kangaroo) will be fine,' he wrote. 'My brother, my friend, my rock, you left us with a smile on your face that won't be forgotten.' A statement from the Horry county police department, posted to Facebook, said Slate's death happened on Friday, close to midnight. 'The death investigation remains active and ongoing,' the statement said. 'The deceased was located within an enclosure with wallabies and kangaroos of varying ages.' 'There are a number of other animals at the incident location. All animals are accounted for and contained, and there is no risk to the community.' A further statement from the farm's owners stated that the kangaroo 'was not nor has been out of his secure enclosure', and that the family-owned facility 'has been dedicated to providing a safe and enriching environment for animals and visitors alike'. According to its website, the farm offers interactive animal experiences including a petting zoo, camel and pony rides, birthday parties and gem mining. Fatal human-animal encounters are rare at petting zoos in the US, but they are not entirely unheard of. In 2022, a camel was euthanized after escaping its enclosure at Shirley Farms in Obion county, Tennessee, and fatally trampling two men.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- The Sun
Petting zoo worker beaten to death by KANGAROO after climbing into its pen to ‘roughouse' with animal
A ZOO worker has been battered to death by a kangaroo - after he climbed into its pen to "roughhouse" with it. Eric Slate's beaten up body was discovered just before midnight on Friday at 5-Star Farm near Loris, South Carolina, according to cops. 1 Slate, who was the brother of the petting zoo owner, had a "history" of stepping into the enclosure with the animal according to local media. .
News.com.au
12-05-2025
- News.com.au
‘Not aggressive': Petting zoo worker killed after ‘rough-housing' with kangaroo
The brother of a South Carolina petting zoo owner was apparently beaten to death by a kangaroo after possibly going into the Aussie animal's pen to 'rough-house' with it, authorities said. Eric Slate's body was discovered inside the facility just before midnight on Friday night at 5-Star Farm near Loris — about 30 miles north of Myrtle Beach, the Horry County Coroner's Office said. Slate, 52, had a 'history' of stepping into the kangaroo enclosure and 'rough-housing' with it, which is what was happening at the time of his death, local council member Mark Causey told News13. 'It just went south,' he said. The kangaroo was still in its enclosure at the family-owned farm when Slate's body was found. The farm recently posted a picture of a large red kangaroo named Mr Jack, adding, 'He loves neck scratches and will take treats from your hands.' It's not clear which animal killed Slate, but he was found with 'multiple blunt force injuries.' Adult male red kangaroos can weigh nearly 90kg and grow up to 1.8m tall, with powerful feet for kicking. In 2022, an elderly man was killed by his pet kangaroo in Western Australia, but that was believed to be the first time a roo killed a person in nearly 90 years in the country. However, plenty more deaths have been caused by kangaroos in road crashes, which has led to fatalities. 5-Star Farm offers an interactive petting zoo with exotic animals, including camels, wallabies and kangaroos, owner Robert Slate wrote in a Facebook post. 'Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers,' he said. The kangaroo is not aggressive and has not been euthanized, Causey added. 'It's not an aggressive animal. It's very sad … It was not the animal's fault,' he said. Experts are coming in this week to ensure the enclosure is safe and the animal is OK, he said. South Carolina has some of the loosest restrictions in the US on the ownership of exotic animals. It is one of only three states where kangaroo ownership isn't prohibited.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Kangaroo blamed for man's death at South Carolina petting zoo
A man was killed by a kangaroo after entering its enclosure at a rural petting zoo in South Carolina. Eric Slate, 52, suffered 'multiple blunt force injuries' after entering an area containing wallabies and kangaroos, police said. He was found dead just after midnight on Saturday, but it's unclear why he was inside the enclosure at 5 Star Farm near Loris, the Horry County Police Department said. While the exact cause of death is still pending autopsy results, Horry County councilman Dennis DiSabato confirmed that a kangaroo was directly involved in the incident, Fox 8 News reported. Authorities emphasized that all animals on the property have been accounted for and secured, assuring the public there is no ongoing threat. Robert Slate, Eric's relative and the owner of 5 Star Farms, issued a brief statement asking for privacy and assuring the public that none of the animals escaped their enclosure, WPDE News reported. The case is under investigation, with police promising to release more details once the autopsy results are in. Saturday's horrific incident isn't the first time wildlife enthusiasts around the world have found themselves in fatal encounters in seemingly safe and controlled environments. Feral instincts remain present in a number of caged animals, and now amount of glass screening and metal fencing can fully contain their primal urges. In one case, a man in Thailand was mauled by a tormented bear as it pulled him into its cage and began gnawing off chunks of his flesh. Eight years ago, a Chinese woman was snatched by a ravenous tiger after stepping out of her car at a safari park near the Great Wall of China. In 2017, a young Chinese man was killed by a tiger in front of his horrified wife and child after getting dragged into its zoo enclosure. The incident occurred at the Youngor Wildlife Park in the city of Ningbo, about 125 miles south of Shanghai. An onlooker took footage of the tiger dragging the man under some trees and sinking its teeth into his neck as two other big cats lurked behind. It took zoo staff about an hour to release the man from the tiger's firm grip, according to reports from the time. In June of 2023, a furious hippo started charging at its zookeeper after he tried to break up its tight with another territorial bull inside their enclosure in China. Heart-stopping footage showed the man - who had entered the enclosure to feed the animal - scrambling out of the pen in a desperate bid to avoid a fatal attack at the Changsha Ecological Zoo in Hunan province.
