A zebra foal and a giraffe have died at Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch.
The deaths have left staff there “heartbroken”, according to a media release by the zoo.
Five-month-old zebra foal Zeeyore had been under constant veterinary monitoring since birth, with the dedicated animal care team supplementing his feed.
Despite these efforts, Zeeyore was unable to progress and died this month.
Post-mortem analysis revealed that “mis-mothering may have been the main cause of his passing”.
Mdomo had developed a lump on her right cheek which the team at Orana “suspected to be a feed impaction resulting from an underlying dental issue”, according to a media release.
The procedure on Mdomo involved a team of four vets and 20 zoo staff members, with a full clinical examination, blood sampling, radiographs and oral inspections taking place.
No definitive cause for the lump could be identified.
Despite initially recovering well from the procedure, the giraffe’s condition declined two days after the procedure.
Mdomo’s condition declined over the following days and the decision was taken to euthanise her on Friday, August 22.
Orana Wildlife Park said: “The Orana team, and especially those who worked closely with her, were deeply connected to Mdomo, and are reeling from the loss of this beautiful animal; it will take time to process her passing.”
