GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A female snow leopard cub at the John Ball Zoo has died.
The death of the 9-month-old snow leopard, Mera, was announced in a statement by the John Ball Zoo Friday. The zoo said Mera was showing signs of pain and didn’t improve after medication. She had a CT scan and ultrasound to try to find the cause. Ultimately an exploratory surgery was needed to find the root cause, which led to the discovery of abnormalities in her urinary system,” the zoo wrote. “Unfortunately, it was determined this issue could not be surgically repaired, and we had to make a very difficult decision to humanely euthanize her.”
PITTSBURGH, PA – Harry, a 33-year-old western lowland gorilla, died after a “sudden cardiac event” on Tuesday afternoon, “despite valiant immediate efforts to resuscitate him,” the zoo said. Harry had been receiving treatment for cardiac disease since 2022.
Harry was the oldest male in the zoo’s gorilla troop of six. Born at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1991, Harry came to Pittsburgh a year later. In January, a 17-year-old Masai giraffe named Sox died. A few months before that, Djembe, another beloved gorilla, died after suffering cardiac arrest during a medical procedure. The zoo says gorillas have hearts that are very similar to humans and highly susceptible to cardiac disease.
DES MOINES, IA – One of two baby cotton-top tamarins born recently at Des Moines’ Blank Park Zoo has died. The twin monkeys were born in February, almost exactly a year after mom, Kida, gave birth to another set of twins. The 3-week-old tamarin was found separated from the family group on Friday, the zoo said in a post on Facebook. Despite multiple attempts, the zoo’s animal care team was unsuccessful in reuniting the family.
After being examined by a zoo veterinarian, the infant was reported to be in declining health. After multiple evaluations and no sign of improvement, the tamarin was euthanized. “Our veterinary team, in consultation with the Chief Animal Officer, made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize the infant,” the zoo wrote on Facebook.
HOUSTON, TX – Texas police and wildlife agencies are investigating how a serval, a wild cat species native to Africa, ended up in a Houston garage with a cone around their neck.
An anonymous tip led authorities from the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office to the garage on March 5, according to a Facebook post. Inside, they found a kennel containing the feline, along with another crate with two dogs. The people who had the serval told police they rescued him/her from a neglectful situation. Texas Parks & Wildlife and U.S. Fish & Wildlife are investigating the matter as an illegal animal trafficking case. A court hearing has been scheduled to determine if the purported owners will retain ownership.
Meanwhile, the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has taken the serval into their care. According to the post, the veterinary staff evaluating and treating the serval has concerns about its health.