Animal welfare organization World Animal Protection Canada is taking proactive steps to highlight the persistent issue of exotic animal escapes and attacks across the country. While some incidents—such as Darwin the Ikea monkey, a Japanese macaque who was found wandering a Toronto Ikea wearing a shearling coat and diaper—have captured public attention, many more escapes go unnoticed. To raise awareness of the critical issue of exotic animal captivity, World Animal Protection Canada is developing a comprehensive database and interactive map to document known incidents.

As of yet, the organization has documented around 209 exotic animal escapes. These incidents reveal a concerning pattern, averaging 12 occurrences annually over the last decade alone. According to The Canadian Press, of the 209 incidents, 86 were linked to snakes, 20 to tigers, 12 to lions, nine to monkeys, six to alligators, and seven to elephants. A concerning number of events, 138, involved an exotic animal escaping or being abandoned, while 29 involved a person being attacked—either by escaped animals or by animals held in unsafe enclosures.

Wildlife campaign manager at World Animal Protection Canada, Michèle Hamers, emphasizes that these events are more than quirky anecdotes—they underscore serious welfare and safety risks associated with keeping exotic animals in captivity, whether as pets or in zoos. She says,

“I’ve noticed that when it’s reported on, it’s either a cutesy story, like it’s kind of funny. You know, kangaroo escaped, ha ha, without thinking about animal welfare implications or things like that.”

The organization hopes that this database will raise awareness and spur public demand for stronger legislation to protect both animals and communities.