Young Giraffe Dies During Procedure at Toronto Zoo

Summary:

Toronto, CANADA – A young giraffe named Matu died this week at the Toronto Zoo after regurgitating his stomach contents during a castration procedure. The zoo said that “Amani, Mstari and Kiko, the three remaining giraffes, are doing very well and do not appear to be impacted by his loss.” A necropsy was performed Friday on Matu and the zoo said the “most significant preliminary finding was that of stomach content in Matu’s lungs – a finding that explains the respiratory, then cardiac arrest that occurred.”

“The regurgitation of material from the rumen (part of the stomach) is a well-recognized risk when animals that regurgitate their food (such as cows, sheep, deer, and giraffes – all referred to as ruminants) are anesthetized,” the zoo said. “This is why we took detailed precautions to minimize this risk by modifying Matu’s diet in the lead-up to this procedure.” Fasting animals in the days leading up to anesthesia can reduce the risks associated with regurgitation.

Despite the many precautions taken, the zoo said it’s believed Matu regurgitated and inhaled ruminal content. The zoo explained there is always a “significant” risk when performing any surgical procedure under general anesthesia on large species such as giraffes.

Action take by Born Free USA:

Notes: