Three giraffes died at the Dallas Zoo in less than a month. Experts are looking into whether two of the deaths are connected
Jesse, a 14-yr-old male giraffe died October 29, two days immediately after he 1st showed signs of an health issues, in accordance to the Dallas Zoo. Outcomes from a blood check confirmed Jesse experienced “irregular liver enzymes,” the zoo explained.
Zoo officials explained they are investigating no matter whether Jesse’s death is perhaps connected to the dying of Auggie, a 19-year-previous giraffe who died October 22. Auggie died “right after dealing with age-relevant wellbeing difficulties that led to liver failure,” the zoo formerly stated.
On October 3, the zoo also euthanized a a few-month outdated giraffe calf following she was wounded.
In a assertion delivered to CNN, the zoo stated it suspected the fatalities of Jesse and Auggie could be related but experienced but to build definitive evidence.
“We are accomplishing substantial lab testing on blood and tissue samples from Jesse and Auggie to detect commonalities and further pinpoint what may have happened. The necropsy effects from equally giraffes pointed to liver problems, which is foremost us to concentrate on the risk that they were uncovered to a toxin of some form, both via a food stuff resource, in the exhibit house, or released by using a international item,” the zoo said.
“We also are tests for Zoonotic ailments, which include encephalomyocarditis (EMC). With the help of outside gurus from across the nation, we are and will continue working by lab examination effects on blood, tissue, food items, plants, and other objects, in an energy to determine the lead to, while also operating to eliminate opportunities,” the statement ongoing.
The Dallas Zoo set “preventative steps” in position prior to Jesse’s dying, which include limiting the giraffes’ actions in their habitat, replacing foodstuff merchandise and conducting standard blood draws to observe liver enzyme amounts, it claimed in the statement.
The zoo also reported the 3-month-old giraffe calf, Marekani, was euthanized right after she endured injuries even though functioning with a several adult giraffes in their habitat.
“The Dallas Zoo delivers the most naturalistic environments doable for our animals, which has so lots of advantages for the two their actual physical and psychological well-remaining. Sad to say, those purely natural surroundings have inherent challenges, just as they do in the wild, where giraffes have a 50% mortality level in their to start with calendar year of lifetime,” the zoo reported in the assertion.
The Dallas Zoo said it strategies to incorporate “substrate product in areas that showed some erosion” and will set up cameras to observe animal interactions and conduct.
CNN’s Susannah Cullinane contributed to this report.