15 Times People Have Fallen Into Zoo Exhibits

7. Killer Whale’s Second Victim Found Naked On The Whale’s Back

In 1999, the body of a 27-year-old homeless naked man was found on Tilikum’s back. This was the same whale that had killed its trainer, Keltie Byrne, eight years prior. Having been moved to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, the orca struck again. Many people believe the creature’s aggression was due to its forced captivity and poor treatment for its whole life. It’s believed that Daniel Dukes entered the SeaWorld park that night to play with the orca. He was a drifter with psychological problems and a history of bizarre behavior leading to arrests. Most likely, what happened was that Tilikum dragged him underwater repeatedly, thus drowning him. Strangely, there’s no footage on SeaWorld’s cameras of the drowning. Tilikum would go on to claim a third victim, trainer Dawn Brancheau, in 2010.

6. A Literal Daniel In The Lion’s Den Was “Told By God” To Jump In

22-year-old Lucas Tomas quite literally became Daniel in the lion’s den. In 2004 at the Buenos Aires Zoo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the young man was “told by God” to jump into the lion’s den. Shockingly, they didn’t attack him right away, so then, he started waving his jacket at them like a bullfighter’s cape and taunting them. One of the two lions present, named “Quique,” pinned him down and bit him until he was hit by a tranquilizer dart shot by the zoo’s veterinarian, and a police officer scared him off by firing his gun into the air. Somehow, Lucas survived this God-given mission of his and suffered only minor injuries to his hands, arms, and face. However, he was also treated for psychological problems.

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