The Exotic Animals warning sign in Zanesville, Ohio.

Well, the brief, exciting moment of freedom for the many exotic animals from Muskingum County Animal Farm has come to an end.  For the most part, for the animals, it ended badly.  Authorities, faced with growing darkness and the concern with many large, aggressive apex predators released into small town Ohio, were forced to take extreme measures to account for the animals.  Some 49 animals, including 18 rare Bengal tigers and 17 lions, were shot and killed by authorities, as compared to six animals–three leopards, a grizzly bear, and two monkeys–who were captured by the Columbus Zoo.

“What a tragedy,” said veterinarian Barb Wolfe, of The Wilds animal preserve in Columbus, Ohio.  “We knew that … there were so many dangerous animals at this place that eventually something bad would happen, but I don’t think anybody really knew it would be this bad.”

Here’s what I don’t understand.  Putting aside the question of how someone with as much trouble as Terry Thompson got his hands on man-eating animals, you have to wonder what he was thinking when he released his animals into the wild shortly before committing suicide.  Did he know the animals would be killed on sight because of his actions?  Did he think the zoos in the area would have to get them and they’d be okay if he just let them run loose?  Did he want them to be killed, and if so, why not just poison them?

Tags: 48 exotic animals killed by police, Muskingum County Animal Farm, The Wilds, Barb Wolfe, Columbus, Ohio, Zanesville, Bengal tigers, rare animals killed by police, escaped rare animals killed, Terry Thompson, unusual animals, unusual people, private zoos, animal preserve

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