Quintana Roo, Mexico - The American owner of a wildlife park in the Mexican resort of Tulum died on Monday after being kicked, bitten, and sat on by a camel.

Rescuers had to use a rope tied to a pickup truck to pull the enraged camel off the body of 60 year-old Richard Mileski of Chicago, Illinois, according to Tulum Civil Defense official Alberto Canto.

"The camel kicked and bit him practically to death," said Canto, "and when Mileski was almost dead, he sat on him. Between the blows and the weight of the camel on top of him, he was asphyxiated."

While it was unclear why the animal, which was in a kind of enclosure, attacked Mileski, Canto said some accounts suggest the camel was upset at not getting a soft drink.

"A park employee told us that Mileski would always give the camel a Coca-Cola to drink, and apparently, that day he didn't give him the Coke," Canto said, adding, "there are a lot of versions to the story."

Richard Mileski

The US Embassy confirmed the man's identity on Tuesday adding, "we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

The office of Mexico's Attorney General for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) said late Tuesday that the camel, 13 spider monkeys, six deer, two emus, two llamas and a wild boar were placed under seizure orders, but were being kept at the sanctuary pending further investigation.

The office said the park did not have papers proving legal ownership of the animals.

The facility is located on a road between Tulum and the nearby Maya ruin site of Coba. The office gave their name as the "Tulum Monkey Sanctuary."

A spokesperson for PROFEPA said the animals "will be held by the manager of the facility in administrative custody," meaning they can't leave the park but will be cared for.

The sanctuary, which has been temporarily closed to the public following the incident, paid tribute on Tuesday to Mileski, the "caring' animal lover, who founded the park nearly fifteen years ago.

On its Facebook page was posted: "Yesterday, on the 13th of October 2014, Richard Mileski lost his life caring for one of the animals that he has dedicated the last 15 year of his life to saving."

"Richard founded the Tulum Monkey Sanctuary on his ranch in order to help rescue an endangered species, the spider monkey, from extinction. But he did not limit himself to helping only monkeys, for his compassion ran the entire range of species from dogs to ducks and horses to javelina."

"Thank you Richard for all of those you have helped along your way. From those who have no voices to those of us who do."