It's possible no more exotic animals are on the loose after deputies killed 49 lions, tigers and other wild animals freed from a local farm by its suicidal owner, an Ohio sheriff told reporters Thursday.
Of the 56 animals released Tuesday night, only a grizzly bear, two monkeys and three leopards were taken alive, Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said.
Killed were two wolves; six black bears; two grizzly bears; nine male lions; eight lionesses; one baboon; three mountain lions; and 18 Bengal tigers, Lutz said Thursday.
Six animals were taken to the Columbus Zoo. Lutz said he has been in contact with Jack Hanna, the zoo's director emeritus, and "the animals are doing well. They are eating, they are active and they are being evaluated."
One monkey remained unaccounted for Wednesday night, Hanna said.
Lutz said Thursday there was one monkey unaccounted for, and acknowledged it could be on the loose, but said there had been no reported sightings and it was believed one of the big cats may have eaten it. It was thought to be in the same area as another monkey which was killed by the cats, he said.
There is a concern the monkey could be carrying herpes B, Lutz said. He urged members of the public not to approach a monkey if they see it but to summon authorities.
The farm's owner, Terry Thompson, pried open cages and opened the farm's fences before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday afternoon, Lutz said.
Autopsy results confirmed the shot was self-inflicted, the sheriff said. Thompson also had a bite wound to his head consistent with a bite from a "larger-type cat," Lutz said. The bite is believed to have occurred "within seconds to a minute" after the gunshot wound, he said.
Thompson was known to feed the animals chicken parts, Lutz said, and a pile of such items was found in the home's driveway.
The only animals left on the property as of Thursday were horses, the sheriff said. The killed animals were buried on Thompson's property, at the request of his wife. The animals, he said, "were like kids to her."
Thompson's estranged wife, Marian, took over the property, Lutz said. She could take the six surviving animals back if she proves to zoo officials she can properly care for them, Lutz said. Marian Thompson could not be reached.
Terry Thompson got out of a federal prison on Sept. 30 after serving a year for possessing unregistered guns.
According to court documents:
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents seized 133 guns and 36 rounds of ammunition from his Kopcak Road property in June 2008 during a search sparked by a tip from a confidential informant who said Thompson was dealing in firearms, and at times crossing state lines to do so.
Thompson once had a federal firearms dealer license, under the name "T's Custom Guns," but surrendered the license to federal authorities in 2004.
The informant met with Thompson several times in April and May 2008 at his home, where he saw guns. Thompson negotiated to sell the tipster a pistol and 12-gauge shotgun for a total of $1,500 in May 2008.
Thompson's lawyer, David Winters of Columbus, Ohio, argued against a prison sentence.
"He has been stigmatized for the remainder of his life by this offense and knows that he will forever be considered a felon -- regardless of the sentence for his offense," Winters wrote in a sentencing memorandum. "Nothing in the circumstances of this offense or in the personal history or characteristics of Terry Thompson suggests anything but the recognition that imprisonment is not necessary to deter Terry Thompson from engaging in future criminal conduct or to protect the public from future criminal acts."
Winters did not return a phone message.
Lutz said he was disappointed that someone leaked a photo of the dead animals to reporters, and promised to punish any deputies found to be the source.
Authorities buried the animals on Thompson's farm. Deputies arrested people Tuesday night who tried to steal one of the dead tigers, and Lutz said he received e-mails and phone calls from people interested in taxidermy asking for the carcasses.
That won't happen, he said, adding that anyone caught on the property would be charged with trespassing.
Lutz again defended his decision to "shoot to kill" the loose animals, though he said he understood their deaths upset people. The animals did not injure pets, livestock or people.
"We understand people are frustrated, that people are mad," Lutz said. "We are, too. We are the ones who were put in that situation."
Of the 56 animals released Tuesday night, only a grizzly bear, two monkeys and three leopards were taken alive, Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said.
Killed were two wolves; six black bears; two grizzly bears; nine male lions; eight lionesses; one baboon; three mountain lions; and 18 Bengal tigers, Lutz said Thursday.
Six animals were taken to the Columbus Zoo. Lutz said he has been in contact with Jack Hanna, the zoo's director emeritus, and "the animals are doing well. They are eating, they are active and they are being evaluated."
One monkey remained unaccounted for Wednesday night, Hanna said.
Lutz said Thursday there was one monkey unaccounted for, and acknowledged it could be on the loose, but said there had been no reported sightings and it was believed one of the big cats may have eaten it. It was thought to be in the same area as another monkey which was killed by the cats, he said.
There is a concern the monkey could be carrying herpes B, Lutz said. He urged members of the public not to approach a monkey if they see it but to summon authorities.
The farm's owner, Terry Thompson, pried open cages and opened the farm's fences before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday afternoon, Lutz said.
Autopsy results confirmed the shot was self-inflicted, the sheriff said. Thompson also had a bite wound to his head consistent with a bite from a "larger-type cat," Lutz said. The bite is believed to have occurred "within seconds to a minute" after the gunshot wound, he said.
Thompson was known to feed the animals chicken parts, Lutz said, and a pile of such items was found in the home's driveway.
The only animals left on the property as of Thursday were horses, the sheriff said. The killed animals were buried on Thompson's property, at the request of his wife. The animals, he said, "were like kids to her."
Thompson's estranged wife, Marian, took over the property, Lutz said. She could take the six surviving animals back if she proves to zoo officials she can properly care for them, Lutz said. Marian Thompson could not be reached.
Terry Thompson got out of a federal prison on Sept. 30 after serving a year for possessing unregistered guns.
According to court documents:
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents seized 133 guns and 36 rounds of ammunition from his Kopcak Road property in June 2008 during a search sparked by a tip from a confidential informant who said Thompson was dealing in firearms, and at times crossing state lines to do so.
Thompson once had a federal firearms dealer license, under the name "T's Custom Guns," but surrendered the license to federal authorities in 2004.
The informant met with Thompson several times in April and May 2008 at his home, where he saw guns. Thompson negotiated to sell the tipster a pistol and 12-gauge shotgun for a total of $1,500 in May 2008.
Thompson's lawyer, David Winters of Columbus, Ohio, argued against a prison sentence.
"He has been stigmatized for the remainder of his life by this offense and knows that he will forever be considered a felon -- regardless of the sentence for his offense," Winters wrote in a sentencing memorandum. "Nothing in the circumstances of this offense or in the personal history or characteristics of Terry Thompson suggests anything but the recognition that imprisonment is not necessary to deter Terry Thompson from engaging in future criminal conduct or to protect the public from future criminal acts."
Winters did not return a phone message.
Lutz said he was disappointed that someone leaked a photo of the dead animals to reporters, and promised to punish any deputies found to be the source.
Authorities buried the animals on Thompson's farm. Deputies arrested people Tuesday night who tried to steal one of the dead tigers, and Lutz said he received e-mails and phone calls from people interested in taxidermy asking for the carcasses.
That won't happen, he said, adding that anyone caught on the property would be charged with trespassing.
Lutz again defended his decision to "shoot to kill" the loose animals, though he said he understood their deaths upset people. The animals did not injure pets, livestock or people.
"We understand people are frustrated, that people are mad," Lutz said. "We are, too. We are the ones who were put in that situation."
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