A roll call to the majestic - 49 exotic animals escape and are hunted in Ohio

An unbelievable story. The owner, Terry Thompson, had previously been convicted of animal cruelty and was allowed to continue running his 'zoo'. He is quoted as once saying 'My cats are happier than most people... I feed them every day, and they have a great place to live. How many people can say they have all they can eat and don't have to worry about a place to live?'

After being released from prison, where he was incarcerated as a result of a firearms conviction, he released the animals and then shot himself. Close friends claim he was severely depressed. Was he trying to reek revenge on the authorities or did he release his animals after himself experiencing time behind bars? Whatever his intentions it inevitably ended in tragedy.

The animals were subsequently hunted down and 49 of them were killed. The list of lost animals reads like a roll call to the most majestic of species - 18 bengal tigers, 17 lions, 6 black bears, 2 grizzly bears, 3 mountain lions, 2 wolves, and a baboon. My first question was why didn't they use tranquiliser guns? In the video below Jack Hanna, wildlife expert who helped the authorities find the animals, explains why this wasn't an option, and how police did the only thing they could do to protect the public.

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