Animal activists are calling for an exhibit at Brookfield Zoo to close in the wake of a second elephant’s death, but agree the elephant died of unexpected and unavoidable causes.
Christy, 29, was euthanized Tuesday as a result of kidney failure, said Mike Adkesson, associate veterinarian for the Chicago Zoological Society which manages Brookfield Zoo.
“As animals and people go into renal failure, nothing can be done to stop that process,” Adkesson said. “In a person, that person would be on dialysis and waiting for a kidney transplant. Options like that are not available in an animal the size of an elephant.”
Catherine Doyle, spokesperson for In Defense of Animals, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the exploitation and abuse of animals, said the group was saddened to hear about this “unforeseeable” death.
In June, the group helped organize a protest of the Brookfield Zoo’s elephant exhibit, but Doyle said the death of Christy was not captivity induced.
“I think Affie was a different case,” Doyle said. “There were signs that she was suffering from conditions that were captivity induced. She did have arthritis from inadequate conditions. The zoo lacks the space that they need.”
In 2007, Christy was diagnosed with an enlarged ureter — one of the tubes that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Adkesson said he believes this to be the first case reported in elephants. An elephant’s kidneys are supposed to be the size of watermelons.
“We realized one (kidney of Christy’s) was extremely small and undersized,” Adkesson said. “One was the size of a flattened softball.”
Christy’s condition took a turn for the worse as she went into renal failure and began to deteriorate rapidly, according to the zoo. CZS staff consulted with several elephant experts and large animal experts.
“We brought several experts in before euthanizing (Christy),” Adkesson said. “The leading vets in the world took a look at Christy to make the difficult decision to proceed. We notify the United States Department of Agriculture before proceeding with (euthanasia) and follow up with them after to review the medical records.”
Carol Sodaro, associate curator of mammals for CZS, said Christy arrived in 1984 when she was 3 years old.
“We are really sad over this loss,” Sodaro said. “She was very charismatic and high spirited.”
Now, there is once again a lone elephant in the exhibit — Joyce, who was brought in for companionship to Christy after the death of Affie in May. Affie, 40, died of heart failure which prompted controversy among animal advocacy groups.
Death reports on Affie’s death were not released after Suburban Life issued Freedom of Information Act requests to both the zoo and the Cook County Forest Preserve, which oversees the zoo.
Sondra Katzen, the zoo’s public relations director, said the death report for Christy will not be released as all the information is given in a press release.
Doyle said the zoo should make the records available to the public.
Adkesson said Joyce is the zoo’s primary concern right now, and is looking for provide her with companionship.
Following Christy’s death, Joyce was allowed back in the stall where Christy had been. She proceeded to sniff the area and put her ears up looking for her companion.
“We are in close consultation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums,” Adkesson said. “Fortunately Joyce is a people-oriented elephant and has bonded with the elephant care staff.”
The IDA continues to urge the Brookfield Zoo to close its elephant exhibit and move Joyce to a more natural habitat where she has room to roam and elephant companions, Doyle said.
“I see for the second time (the zoo) is at a crossroads,” Doyle said. “This time the zoo can make the right choice and close the exhibit and send the elephant Joyce to a natural habitat.”
Sodaro said this is a sad time for the zoo family right now and officials will continue to be committed to the animals and the elephant exhibit.
“These are problems that no matter where Christy was, these are problems that would have affected her,” Adkesson said.
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