What causes the death of zoo animals?
A. Because they are carefully watched and tended in captivity, most animals in zoos outlive the expected lifespan of their wild counterparts. It’s important to remember that the mortality rate among zoo animals is 100%, just as it is among all living organisms. Complications associated with old age eventually claim many zoo animals. Heart disease and kidney failure are what are commonly found in aged animals. Infectious diseases that overwhelm the animals’ defense systems are reasons for some deaths. When zoo animals get infectious diseases that can transmitted to other animals, it is important for us to be able to identify the cause of death in these instances. Some animals died of their diseases despite our efforts to help them. Other animals are humanely euthanized if the veterinarians, curators and keepers agree that an animal is suffering and unlikely to recover. Q. What happens to an animal after it dies? A. For several reasons it is important to try to identify the cause of deat
