- Vandals/activists break into Ochsner Park Zoo, cut locks.
Published by -NAWA News Feed- in - Animal Extremist - · Thursday 09 Jun 2022
Four animals went missing after an unidentified suspect(s) broke into the Ochsner Park Zoo (WI) overnight on Monday June 6, and cut locks off habitats, according to the Baraboo Police Department. The suspects attempted to cut the locks at the wolf and bear habitats but were unsuccessful.
Two otters and two great horned owls perished. On Tuesday afternoon, however, it was claimed that the otters had been discovered unhurt in a nearby river by several kayakers. The owls haven't been caught yet.
David Fechter, co-owner of the Shalom Wildlife Zoo in West Bend, has devoted decades of his life to his passion.
The suspects attempted to cut the locks at the wolf and bear habitats but were unsuccessful.
"We genuinely care about them, and they care about us," he said. "It's like removing someone's child when an animal is taken from a zoo or freed."
He was upset – but not shocked – when he heard that somebody broke into the Ochsner Park Zoo, which was more than 80 miles away.
"When I first saw it, I said to myself, 'Not good,' and I wasn't shocked," he remarked.
For Fechter, the incident is personal. In the year 2021, a woman leapt over a fence, dangerously close to bobcats and bears. Shalom Wildlife Zoo made security adjustments as a result of the incident.
"These folks are causing more damage than good," Fechter stated.
He wants people to be able to enjoy zoos in the manner they were intended: "We want to provide visitors with a clean, wholesome environment where they can experience nature."
On Tuesday, the Ochsner Park Zoo was closed. It will reopened at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.