Yesterday evening the Zoo’s female Southern Screamer died of unknown causes. One minute she was fine, the next moment she was ‘crashing’. The zoo’s vet and animal care staff worked feverishly to save her, but it was in vain. Today we are all a little down.
The sad truth about working in a zoo – or any animal facility whether it be exotic, marine or domestic – is that there is a 100% mortality rate. Every animal in the zoo is going to die someday. Since most of them have shorter lifespans than humans, we as staff are often witness to these deaths – and each and every one is heartbreaking.
Yes – the animals in the zoo are NOT pets – the are captive wild animals with all the accompanying instincts and triggers. But I defy ANYONE to work with an animal – one you may have seen born or arrive at the zoo, an animal you cared for during illness, one you trained and/or played with, an animal that recognized you and was excited to see you every morning, an animal you nursed and in some cases comforted as the end drew near or in the vet’s case, had to put down – and be unmoved. We don’t show it – we can’t. Not with 150 other individuals counting on us to care for them, but a part of us hurts and mourns each and every loss.
This particular death creates even further sadness as the female leaves behind her brother. The two have been together since hatching and were bonded to one another – not in the sense of a monogamous mating pair, but the way siblings would be until going off to find their own mates. We will spend time for the next several days just watching the male to be sure he is okay.
The male screamer will recover – in a couple of days, maybe a week or so at most, he will forget her – but zoo staff won’t. In fact, we won’t ever forget her – it’s human nature and memory that will ensure that. But today we will mourn her – each of us in our own way, as we go about the business of caring for the rest of ‘our’ animals.
Melanie S – Curator of Education
