Animals

Two primates at the Dallas Zoo have allegedly been ape-napped -- at least that's what the zoo is saying ... just the latest in a string of bizarre animal-related disappearances.

Zoo officials notified Dallas PD Monday that a couple of their emperor tamarin monkeys were missing from their habitats ... and worse, they claim there's evidence of tampering in the restricted areas that house the creatures -- so they believe monkeys were taken.

The cops are already looking into it, and because it's an open investigation ... not many other details are available.

You'll recall ... this is the same zoo where a clouded leopard somehow escaped its own enclosure just earlier this month, prompting a shutdown of the place and a massive search.

The leopard ended up being found on the grounds soon after, but zoo officials claimed afterward that its habitat had been cut through ... suggesting someone let the big cat out intentionally.

There are two other strange animal incidents that have occurred at the Dallas Zoo of late -- including another alleged breach in an enclosure housing langur monkeys ... as well as an endangered vulture being found dead at the facility, which cops called suspicious.

Move over Yogi, there's a new bear influencer in the game -- this furry fella in Colorado is striking hundreds of poses, turning a trail camera into its personal glam cam.

The motion-detection cameras at Open Space and Mountain Parks system (OSMP) were placed in the Boulder area to passively observe wildlife activity ... capturing photos and videos of animals as they passed by the lens, but this bear couldn't get enough, and kept coming back for more headshots.

The agency says it found about 400 shots of the bear-turned-model on just one of their 9 cameras.

Will Keeley, senior wildlife ecologist for OSMP reportedly said, "The motion-detecting cameras provide us a unique opportunity to learn more about how local species use the landscape around us while minimizing our presence in sensitive habitats".

Apparently, the wildlife cameras snap still photographs in the park, when an animal steps in front of it. At night, they use infrared light to minimally disturb nocturnal wildlife.

Keeley said, "We are fortunate to live in an area with a rich diversity of wildlife species, and these cameras help us to learn what animals are really out there, and what they are up to over the course of a day, a week, or even years.”

Tom Brady has a lot more free time this off-season, and the 7x Super Bowl winner is putting it to good use ... spending an afternoon with his 10-year-old daughter, Vivian, while she took horse riding lessons!

It's the first off-season since Brady and Gisele Bündchen divorced, and with his ex-wife spending a lot of time in Costa Rica with jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente ... Tom took Vivian to a stable in Miami on Wednesday.

Brady, clearly, is a very proud dad, and was seen photographing Vivian as she rode her horse.

At one point, a brunette woman approached Tom, and seemingly asked for a photograph ... and Brady obliged. The two also had a friendly chat.

While Tom is in relaxation mode, there's a ton of speculation about his future and whether he'll play football next year ... but Brady's made it clear he hasn't made up his mind, and for the time being, just wants to spend time with his kids.

Of course, Brady's Tampa Bay Bucs squad lost to the Cowboys in the playoffs a couple of weeks back, ending Tom's 23rd NFL season.

What's interesting ... there's lots of speculation Gisele and Valente are dating. In fact, two were also spotted riding horses in Costa Rica on January 18. Though, they've continued to claim JV is nothing more than their martial arts instructor.

PGA Tour star, Max Homa's mind was off of birdies and onto bees during his round on Thursday -- at least momentarily -- 'cause one of the winged insects landed right on his ball ... and didn't want to move!!!

The funny scene all happened on the ninth green at Torrey Pines at the Farmers Insurance Open ... when Homa went to line up his birdie putt.

Broadcast video shows as the 32-year-old golfer reached down to examine his ball, a bee was parked on it ... and seemed rather cozy.

Homa tried -- carefully, we might add -- to get the little guy to move, but he wasn't budging.

"He's tyring to get rid of a frequent flyer there," one of the event's broadcaster's joked.

Eventually, Homa got it to fly away -- avoiding the stinger in the process.

Gisele Bundchen and her jiu-jitsu instructor are getting close once again -- this time, the two were seen riding horses in Costa Rica, in what's either an amazing just-friends date ... or further proof the two are now an item.

Tom Brady's ex and Joaquim Valente were spotted on the animals back on Jan. 18 ... and the duo looked like they had a blast.

The couple(?) rode the horses for roughly two hours through the jungle -- and check out Gisele's grin, she sure seemed giddy while plodding through the afternoon with Valente.

Of course, there's been no official confirmation they're dating -- Gisele's camp initially claimed Valente had been tagging along on family vacays to train her and her kids -- but they've certainly appeared to be awfully coupley this month.

First, they were seen jogging while appearing to share AirPods ... and just days later -- riding horseback with none of Gisele's kids in sight.

No word yet on how Brady feels about it all ... but he hasn't been in the best mood this week.

On Monday, just seven days after the Buccaneers QB was bounced from the playoffs by the Dallas Cowboys, he snapped at his good friend Jim Gray on their podcast ... unleashing an F-bomb tirade about how he wasn't sure if he'd be retiring or not.

A man was tragically shot and killed in a bizarre hunting accident -- one where his dog reportedly pulled the trigger while they were driving.

The 32-year-old Wichita, Kansas native was killed Saturday according to the Sumner County Sheriff's office ... which told local outlet KWCH the hunter's dog stepped on the rifle while it was in the back seat, causing it to discharge in the owner's direction.

The office says cops responded to the area -- north of Geuda Springs -- and found the man in the front seat ... they started CPR immediately according to reports, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. It's unclear if the animal was harmed at all in the process.

Ex-NFL player Derek Wolfe says he's faced a ton of backlash after killing a mountain lion that was allegedly wreaking havoc in Colorado ... saying there have been more than 200 complaints filed against him -- despite the hunt being 100% legal.

The former Denver Broncos defensive end described the harassment he's experienced in an interview with Tucker Carlson on Monday ... saying he "can't believe what's happened to me" following last week's hunt.

"I can't believe that going on a legal hunt, doing something legal, by the book -- they've had 200 calls to Colorado Parks and Wildlife trying to turn me in like I did something wrong," Wolfe said on Fox News.

"[I] did nothing wrong. Everything's legal."

Wolfe explained mountain lions have become a serious issue in the area ... claiming there have been 23 attacks on humans since 1990. On top of that, Wolfe says 15 dogs were killed by mountain lions within a 30-day period in an area near Boulder last year.

Of course, animal lovers have been infuriated with the whole situation ... with some claiming the NFLer should have left the cat alone. But, the hunter says Colorado Parks and Wildlife approved of his plan to kill the cat ... and he went about the whole thing the right way.

"[I] was able to make a good shot, a good ethical shot, and harvested the cat. Got him out of there and did everything by the book."

"This was completely legal. CPW came down and checked the cat in for me," the 32-year-old said.

As for what happened to the mountain lion ... Wolfe says it's gonna end up on his dinner table.

Kylie Jenner wearing a lion's head to a fashion show is getting positive reviews from an unlikely source ... the world's most famous animal rights group.

Yes, PETA is on board with the billionaire's wild outfit from Paris Fashion Week, with PETA president Ingrid Newkirk telling TMZ ... "Kylie's look celebrates lions' beauty and may be a statement against trophy hunting, in which lion families are torn apart to satisfy human egotism."

As we reported ... Kylie rocked the regal look Monday at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture show in Paris and made sure to let everyone know it wasn't a real lion, saying it's a "faux art creation constructed by hand using manmade materials."

The Schiaparelli show also featured Naomi Campbell wearing a black wolf's head, which was most likely also fake.

PETA's president is applauding Kylie for going faux, telling us ... "These fabulously innovative three-dimensional animal heads show that where there’s a will, there's a way."

The back-slapping from PETA is a big turnaround for Kylie ... remember, she's been shamed in the past by animal rights activists for wearing real fur.

Kylie Jenner takes the crown for the most talked about gown at Paris Fashion Week, and she's also likely to be public enemy #1 with animal rights groups ... after rocking a lion's head on her shoulder.

Kylie definitely had the most regal look Monday at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture show in Paris. Let's face it, accessorizing a classic black dress with the head of a vulnerable species on your shoulder will always draw eyeballs.

Clearly, realizing folks would immediately @ PETA ... Kylie posted a thank you to the designer and made sure to include it's a "faux art creation constructed by hand using manmade materials."

That seemed kinda obvious ... think what you will of the Kardashian-Jenners, but public relations is their thing, so ya can't think Kylie would've worn a REAL lion.

Even though it's fake, there's plenty of backlash for the imagery alone. The Schiaparelli show also featured Naomi Campbell wearing a black wolf's head, which was most likely also fake -- but, critics are still blasting the looks as cruel and "twisted."

Ironically, the designer passed on using Doja Cat for one of those wild feline styles (too on the nose?), and instead decked her out in a red beaded dress -- but to make it weird and ridiculous, also painted Doja herself red and beaded!!! Think Blue Man Group with blisters.

Authorities in Colorado say Derek Wolfe followed all the steps necessary in his hunt of a mountain lion this week ... confirming to TMZ Sports the former NFL player's killing of the animal was legal.

A spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife tells us ... Wolfe did all that was required of him in order to lawfully take down the big cat in Grant earlier this week.

According to the CPW, Wolfe obtained his mountain lion hunting license and is "in good standing" with the org. It also said Wolfe checked all the boxes necessary -- such as properly reporting the kill -- to make it all above board.

Wolfe himself insisted on his "The Drive" podcast that he did nothing wrong ... explaining, as he did in his initial post about the kill, that the male mountain lion was a menace to neighboring communities prior to its death.

"He was hiding under this lady's porch down the road," Wolfe said of what initially made him set out to kill the beast. "She told us, 'Please get rid of him. He killed my dog last year.'"

Wolfe added, "I love hunting deer and elk, and mountain lions kill deer and elk, and mature male mountain lions kill the cubs of female mountain lions to get them to go back into heat."

"I feel like I am doing my part by taking care of some of these Toms. It is not easy."

Wolfe said after an hours-long hunt for the animal, he eventually shot and killed it with a bow and arrow. He said the big cat was massive -- weighing around 200 pounds ... and spanning the entirety of his 6-foot-6 frame.

"That thing can kill anybody," Wolfe said.

Ex-Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe hunted a massive mountain lion in Colorado this week ... and at the end of the day, a wild photo shows the Wolfe got the better of the big cat.

The former NFL player detailed his insane journey to nab the mountain lion in Grant on his social media page Thursday ... saying it all started after he got a call on Tuesday that the animal was terrorizing a rural neighborhood in the city.

Wolfe said he was told the mountain lion had killed two of a woman's dogs ... and was "nervous what he might do next."

The 32-year-old avid hunter and fisherman said he then set out to kill it.

He explained on his IG that after discovering a ravaged mule deer that he assumed the big cat killed, he hiked up thousands of feet of rough terrain ... and eventually encountered the mountain lion.

"Exhausted, dehydrated, cramping," Wolfe said, "I drew back my [bow] and sent an [arrow] through him."

Wolfe said he then had to drag the beast's carcass back to his truck ... falling off a 10-foot rock face in the process.

Wolfe, who played in the NFL from 2012 through 2020, wrote in the comment section of his social media post that he estimated it weighed about 195 pounds. As for its height, Derek stands at 6-foot-5 ... and the cat seemed to be bigger than him.

Navy veteran Richard Osthoff choked up while claiming Rep. George Santos scammed him out of money intended to keep his dying service pooch alive ... he says the dog saved his life.

Osthoff recalled his alleged history with the freshman legislator from NY -- who's already fessed up to lying about his work experience and education -- in an interview with CNN, getting emotional as he told his story ... with his late dog's ashes in a box next to him.

The Navy vet says his pooch, Sapphire, saved his life when he was in a dark place after first getting out of the service ... and he's convinced he wouldn't be alive today without the dog.

Osthoff says Santos offered to help get the dog a life-saving medical procedure several years ago ... when Santos was going by his alias, Anthony Devolder ... but says he never saw a dime of the $3,000 Santos raised online.

Instead, Osthoff claims he actually lost money in his dealings with Santos ... another blow to the homeless Navy vet who says he watched his dog die instead of being saved.

For his part, Santos is denying the allegations ... claiming he has dozens of folks who would go on the record saying Santos saved their dogs and cats.

But Osthoff says he won't believe Santos without proof.

The feds finding Carole Baskin's first husband alive is all the buzz on the internet -- but that would be news to local authorities, who tell TMZ they haven't heard from the feds, and still consider Don Lewis missing.

Here's the deal ... Twitter users started chirping Wednesday when a lot of them discovered -- for the first time, apparently -- a 2021 interview with Carole about an alleged report the Dept. of Homeland Security found Lewis living in Costa Rica. The purported DHS report came to light during the second season of "Tiger King."

Like we said, Carole already spoke about it, and we reported on it too ... but for some reason, everyone seems to think the mystery was solved 2 years ago. It really wasn't.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office -- which is in charge of Don's missing person's case -- tells TMZ its had no communication with federal officials to suggest they've located Don Lewis. Obviously, the FBI would've shared that info, so as far as the Sheriff's Office is concerned, nothing's changed -- Lewis is still a missing person, and the case remains a priority for HCSO.

It's also worth noting .... as a legal matter, Don's been presumed dead since 2002. And of course, Joe Exotic sees it that way too.

Joe's attorney, John Phillips says the 'TK2' doc and Carole's ITV interview don't make a difference in their minds about her alleged involvement in DL's disappearance ... adding the doc was floated as having veracity, when it doesn't at all. He also insists Joe will be vindicated in due time.

As for Carole, she reiterates what she told us back in 2021 ... which is that she does not know if the alleged DHS doc 'TK2' producers showed her is real. She's always maintained she had nothing to do with his disappearance, or possible death.

Rep. George Santos is now firmly in the doghouse ... the embattled U.S. Congressman allegedly scammed a disabled homeless military veteran out of thousands in donations intended to keep his dying service pooch alive.

The freshman legislator from NY -- who's already copped to lying about his education and work experience -- crossed paths with Navy veteran Richard Osthoff in May 2016 and identified himself by one of his aliases, Anthony Devolder ... according to local news site, Patch.

Osthoff told Patch he and his beloved service dog, Sapphire, were living out of a tent on the side of a highway in Howell, NJ. That would be trying enough, but Sapphire also had a stomach tumor that was getting larger day by day.

Osthoff needed to come up with $3,000 for his dog's surgery, so a veterinary tech put him in touch with Santos through a charity named "Friends of Pets United" ... which was operated by "Anthony Devolder," Santos' alias. Ya, see where this is going, right?

Santos/Devolder allegedly started a GoFundMe to harness funds for Sapphire's surgery, and Osthoff says one month later, Santos posted on Facebook, "We made the goal, and then some."

This is where it gets really shady -- according to Osthoff, he and Santos discussed taking Sapphire to a different vet after a bleak prognosis from Santos' animal doctor.

Osthoff texted Santos, "My dog is going to die because of god knows what" -- and Santos allegedly replied, "Sapphire is not a candidate for this surgery the funds are moved to the next animal in need and we will make sure we use of resources [sic] to keep her comfortable!"

Osthoff says Sapphire never got the surgery, died in January 2017 ... and they never saw a dime of the donation money. Osthoff was so distraught, he contemplated suicide, pointing out he "loved that dog so much, I inhaled her last breaths when I had her euthanized.”

Now, Santos is denying the whole ordeal ... saying he has no clue who Osthoff is or what he's talking about. He told the Semafor news site, "Fake. No clue who this is."

As we've reported, Santos' track record already sucks ... he was accused of fabricating much of his resume to help him win the congressional seat repping parts of Long Island and Queens.

There are growing calls, even from Republicans, for him to resign after he admitted lying about earning degrees from Baruch College and New York University, and making misleading claims about working for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

Tusk V, the University of Arkansas' legendary live mascot, has died, the school announced Tuesday. He was 4 years old.

The University released a statement on Tusk V's passing ... saying he died of natural causes at his home outside of Dardanelle, Arkansas.

Tusk, born on April 19, 2018, served as the school's official live mascot for three years (2019-2022) and witnessed the football team win two bowl games during his tenure.

Tusk V was a staple on the sidelines at Razorbacks games ... and would routinely interact with fans throughout the season.

Tusk V's last regular season appearance was on Nov. 19 at the team's home finale ... when Arkansas defeated Ole Miss 42-27 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The Russian boar was most recently on hand for the Hogs' 55-53 win in triple overtime over Kansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Tusk V became the official live mascot after his father, Tusk IV, retired in 2019. He will be succeeded by his brother, Tusk VI, who will continue the live mascot tradition.

Tusk V -- who would have turned 5 in April -- was laid to rest on the Stokes family farm, the caretakers for the university's mascots.

The so-called "Puppy Bus" is already a viral sensation, and we got its founders to break down all the tricks and treats behind their suddenly booming dog walking/training service.

Mo and Lee Thompson joined "TMZ Live" to talk all about their biz, "Mo Mountain Mutts" ... after their dog bus unexpectedly became a social media phenomenon.

The husband/wife duo told us the bus is just one part of a day filled with dog training and dog walking around Skagway, Alaska -- and after those incredibly calm bus rides, the pups get out for an adventure, full of exercise and socializing.

They say the outings are planned to be physically and mentally engaging for their 4-legged clients ... like challenging hikes or a beach run.

The Thompsons admit their popular bus videos are the product of carefully choosing which pups have enough obedience training to go to their assigned seats without causing a ruckus. They added that the dogs' personalities, ages and manners are also factors.

As for how it all started ... Mo says at first she was just walking friends' dogs during work breaks, and then she started doing biking and hiking trips with 'em.