Camel kills American over a can of Coke

quote:

---

Investigators are trying to establish why a camel went berserk at a wildlife park in Mexico, fatally attacking the sanctuary's American owner.

The dromedary kicked and bit Richard Mileski before sitting on him when he was almost dead at an enclosure in the resort of Tulum on Monday.

Rescuers had to use a rope tied to a pickup truck to pull the camel off the body of Mr Mileski, from Chicago.

Tulum civil defence official Alberto Canto said: "The camel kicked and bit him practically to death, and when he was almost dead, he sat on him.

"Between the blows and the weight of the camel on top of him, he was asphyxiated."

He said the ungulate may have launched the attack because it was upset at not getting its daily fizzy drink.

"One version is that he (Mr Mileski) would always give him a Coca-Cola to drink, and apparently, that day he didn't give him the Coca-Cola," said Mr Canto.

The US Embassy said Mr Mileski died on Tuesday.

Tulum Monkey Sanctuary said on its Facebook page: "Richard lost his life caring for one of the animals that he has dedicated the last 15 year of his life to saving."

Mexican authorities have issued a seizure order for the camel and the sanctuary's other animals: 13 spider monkeys, six deer, two emus, two llamas and a wild boar.

Local officials said the park did not have papers proving legal ownership of the animals.

---