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WEST MILFORD, NJ – There was once when visitors to a now-defunct New Jersey animal safari could get up close and personal with lions.
Decades after its closure, the remnants of Jungle Habitat, a Warner Brothers-operated African safari theme park, continue to intrigue and disturb. The park, active in the mid-1970s near the New York state border, has left a legacy of eerie tales and environmental concerns.
This story is more relevant today after a woman recently entered a lion enclosure in South Jersey and got out in one piece. Fifty-plus years ago, it was a different story.
Editor’s Note: This article provides a historical perspective to an event and place in New Jersey’s history.
In 1972, a man got out of his car and was attacked by a lion. That man survived, but it was the beginning of the end for the troubled venture.
Earlier this year, the guys at WeirdNJ visited what is left of Jungle Habitat. According to WeirdNJ, a visitor’s mauling ended the beginning of Jungle Habitat.
Opened with fanfare, Jungle Habitat promised an up-close experience with exotic wildlife. However, it faced challenges leading to its abrupt closure in 1976. Reports of animals attacking park-goers’ vehicles and escaping into West Milford’s wilds were part of its troubled history.
Post-closure, the fate of the animals became a subject of speculation and horror. Many were reportedly left to fend for themselves, resulting in numerous animal carcasses found in the surrounding woods. This neglect raised questions, but many felt these were just rumors after many animals in the park could not be relocated and euthanized.
Some locals say the company left the animal carcasses to decay in the woods, but there is no solid evidence of this.
Today, the park’s overgrown structures, including ticket booths, reptile houses, and souvenir shops, are a magnet for urban explorers. These decaying relics tell a story of a bygone era of entertainment and its consequences.
Shortly after the park closed, rumors of sightings of non-native species like monkeys and kangaroos in the area suggested that some animals living as feral populations may have survived. Like other rumors surrounding the park, those were never validated.
The park shut down four years after it opened. You can learn more about the safari here.
Former MPD Sergeant Sentenced to 60 Months for Fatal Shooting of An’Twan Gilmore
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Enis Jevric, 42, a former Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for the August 2021 shooting death of 27-year-old An’Twan Gilmore, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office announced.
Jevric had pled guilty on February 23, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to charges of violating Mr. Gilmore’s constitutional rights through the use of deadly excessive force and to involuntary manslaughter under D.C. law. Along with the prison sentence, Jevric was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
Court documents reveal that on August 25, 2021, at approximately 3 a.m., Jevric and 17 other MPD officers responded to a report of a man asleep in a car stopped at the intersection of New York Avenue and Florida Avenue, N.E. The sleeping driver, identified as Mr. Gilmore, had a handgun visibly tucked in his waistband. After clearing the area of civilian traffic, Jevric directed another officer to knock on the car’s windows to awaken Mr. Gilmore. Upon waking, the car moved forward slightly, stopped, and then moved again. Jevric then fired four shots at the vehicle. As the car continued to roll down New York Avenue, Jevric fired six more times, three of which struck Mr. Gilmore, ultimately leading to his death. No other officer discharged their weapon during the incident. When officers approached the vehicle after it came to a stop, they found Gilmore’s gun still secured in his waistband beneath his buckled seatbelt.
As part of his guilty plea, Jevric acknowledged that his actions were an unconstitutional and unreasonable use of force, done willfully and in reckless disregard of Mr. Gilmore’s Fourth Amendment rights. He admitted that his conduct presented an extreme risk of death and significantly deviated from a reasonable standard of care.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with substantial support from the FBI Laboratory, including the Laboratory Shooting Reconstruction Team. The prosecution was handled by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Charge
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Hector Anaya, 51, of Buffalo, New York, pled guilty on Thursday to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, as announced by U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Anaya now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, with the possibility of up to 40 years, and a fine of up to $5,000,000.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is prosecuting the case, Buffalo Police detectives initiated surveillance of Anaya’s residence in April 2024 after receiving information that he was in possession of a significant quantity of narcotics. During the surveillance, detectives observed Anaya engaging in three hand-to-hand transactions involving suspected heroin and cocaine during controlled purchases.
On April 25, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Anaya’s residence, where they discovered a firearm, ammunition, and a quantity of suspected fentanyl. Anaya was arrested at the scene.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the leadership of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, and the Buffalo Police Department, led by Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. Anaya’s sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
Dark Web Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Methamphetamine
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — Ryan Scott Cochran, also known by his alias “namedeclined,” pled guilty on Thursday in federal court to charges of distributing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine via the United States mail. The guilty plea was entered before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. Cochran, who had been operating as a highly rated vendor on various dark web marketplaces for over a decade, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
As part of his plea agreement, Cochran consented to forfeit more than $200,000 in cash, cryptocurrency, and funds held in bank accounts, all of which had already been seized by law enforcement. He also agreed to forfeit an additional $900,000 at a later date.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea proceeding, Cochran used the dark web to advertise and sell illegal drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, which he then shipped across the United States and internationally using the United States Postal Service. In addition to drug trafficking, Cochran also sold fraudulent identification documents and other forged materials, such as health insurance cards, through the dark web.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea, expressing gratitude to the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance in the case.
Cochran’s sentencing date has not yet been set, but he faces up to 20 years in prison for his crimes.
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Publish date : 2024-08-31 05:12:00
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