Lions, Tigers and Bears

The story of the owner of a private zoo in Ohio ends in tragedy. The animal preserve housed exotic animals, ranging from lions to wolves. According to reports, Terry Thompson released his 51 wild animals and then shot himself. When police arrived his body was surrounded by some of the animals. One report described that his head had bite marks. Thompson had a history with authorities over the years. There were complaints of poor conditions and maltreatment of the animals. He also served about a year for possession of illegal firearms. Why Thompson decided to end his life and essentially that of his animals is speculation. Officers initially used their weapons to kill some of the animals on site. In the end, they continued to find and kill the animals in order to avoid attacks on people. Tranquilizers were not used at night since it was too easy for the animals to hide.