Dallas Zoo Incidents

On January 13th, 2023, Dallas zoo workers found a suspicious tear in the clouded leopard enclosure. Nova and Luna, two female clouded leopards lived in it. Throughout the day, zoo staff and police were looking for Nova, the leopard that had left the enclosure. Luna had stayed inside it. They found Nova on zoo grounds very close to her enclosure at 4:40 p.m. local time and were able to safely secure her at 5:15 p.m. At a news conference in the afternoon, Sgt. Warren Mitchell of the Dallas police revealed that the tear in the habitats mesh was made intentionally. Cuts were later found in the langur monkeys habitat fencing, but the monkeys were safe.

Around a week later, a 35-year-old endangered adult lappet-faced vulture, was found dead in its enclosure. The zoo's veterinary team found unusual injuries, proving that it was not a natural death. As far as I could find, the zoo has not released anymore details about Pin the vulture's death. However, the Dallas zoo did state that they had added cameras and hightened overnight security.

Most recently, on the night of January 29th, the man possibly responsible for all of these broke into the emperor tamarins habitat and took the two monkeys. The tamarins were found by the police after a tip from the public. They were in a vacant home were several other animals were kept. There were cats, pigeons, and dead feeder fish(there was also fish food taken from the zoo). The man who had taken the emperor tamarins was arrested and his name is Davion Irvin.

According to court records, he said that he loved animals and would steal more if released from jail. Just by taking the monkeys, Irvin has been charged with one count of burglary and six counts of animal cruelty(3 for each monkey). He faces another burglary charge for attempting to steal Nova, the clouded leopard. Police have also linked Irvin to the cuts in the langur monkey enclosure, but he isn't being charged for it, as no langur monkeys went missing. While police are still investigating, Davion Irvin has not been linked to the death of Pin, the lappet-faced vulture.

I don't understand how Irvin was even able to break into the enclosures in the first place. Security cameras should have caught him cutting the clouded leopard habitat's fencing right away. I also don't get why someone who claims to love animals, would take exotic animals out of the zoo and put them into a vacant house. Not only is the zoo able to take better care of them, but it can also simulate the animals' natural habitats. If he is going to start stealing more animals when he is released from jail, I think he should have to either stay in jail forever or be under constant watch from police.

Would you ever steal an animal?

Do you think the zoo needs more security or this is a one time thing?

How should the police/zoo handle Davion Irvin if he is released from jail?

http://https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/us/dallas-zoo-escaped-leopard.html

http://https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/22/us/dallas-zoo-vulture-dead.html

http://https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/01/us/dallas-zoo-tamarin-monkeys-missing-what-we-know/index.html

http://https://www.npr.org/2023/02/08/1155407751/dallas-zoo-monkey-theft-davion-irvin-clouded-leopard-escape#:~:text=Zoo%20via%20AP-,This%20photo%20provided%20by%20the%20Dallas%20Zoo%20shows%20an%20emperor,attraction%20that%20are%20being%20investigated.

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  • I would never steal an animal that is from a zoo or doesn't belong to me, especially because you don't know what the animal can do and how it acts. I think that this zoo definitely needs more security and that Davion Irvin should be banned from all zoos when he is released from jail.

  • I would never steal a animal that isnt mine nor wild they are dangrous if you don't know what your doing. Taking proper care is the top main reason not to because some animals need proper care or special treatmeant that not a lot of humens know how to give.  Let alone zoo animals are in safe areas far form human didtence and in fences for a reason to keep ypou and the animal safe.

  • I would never steal an animal because I wouldn't know how to properly take care of them, although it would be fun to ride a lion. I think that the zoo needs way more security especially for the endangered and poisonuos animals because it can be dangerous to our environment.

    • I agree with having more security for endangered animals. I'm not sure that you can ride a lion.

  • Personally, I would never break into a zoo and steal an animal, and I'm not sure why anyone would do that.  I think that zoos should have more security because if something like that were to happen again, they could potentially let out big animals and then it would be a bigger problem than just someone breaking into the zoo.

    • Yeah, zoos should definitely have more security, especially to stop people from releasing more dangerous animals. The only reason I can think of for stealing an animal is to sell it.

  • My opinion is Zoos are inhumane for some of the animals. Like for polar bears they are miserable in the enclosure. Baby monkeys are taken from their mothers. Some animals are starved due to a hierarchy of the animal kingdom. The only reason I would seal the animal is to put them back in their normal habitat.

    • Some animals in zoos might not be the most happy, but I'm sure they're glad not to be in constant danger of something. Also, if you were to take an animal out of a zoo and put them into the wild, there is absolutely no way they would survive.

  • I would not steal an animal but if the cameras didn't catch him doing it yes they need more security. I think that they should obviously never let him go back there and just look out for more stuff like that. If the animal is already endangered you wanna make sure it's safe.

  • I personally would never steal any animal, and the chances of me getting anywhere near a monkey are slim. I think that this is a one time thing because I wouldn't think anyone is dumb enough to do this again. I don't thik he should be released from jail, but if he is they should send him to a mental institute.

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