Life and death are part of the natural fabric of life in the wild and in zoos. Unfortunately Viet’s baby has died. Everyone is very sad, understandably, as all seemed to be going so well with them. The baby was looking very strong and suckling, and Viet was doing such a wonderful job of mothering her.

White Cheeked Gibbons are a very sensitive species and known to be quite difficult to breed in captivity. Other zoos who have bred them have commented that they are usually not good first time mothers, so we were very surprised that Viet was doing so well. Mothering is such a complex mix of natural and learned behaviours and it is often difficult for inexperienced primates to get everything right at the same time.

In our disappointment we must remember that although this is sad for everyone involved, it has not been a wasted exercise for Viet or keepers.

We have learned that Viet can conceive (this was in question prior to this birth), that she has great mothering instincts and skills, and that her partner Remus is protective and supportive. Viet will have learned a lot from this short time (one week) with her baby, this will stand her in good stead for her next foray into motherhood.

We always allow primates grieving time with their dead young, so we did not take the baby from Viet until she had finished carrying it around and left it for keepers to recover. This is really important and allows a mother time to come to terms with their loss and make sense of the situation. The babies are then taken to the Animal Health Centre for examination and post mortem.

A post mortem has been carried out, as with any death in the zoo, but as yet we do not know what the cause of death was. We are still waiting for some results from the laboratory, however there is nothing obvious to  point to any cause of death.

We are sad but must look at the positives drawn from the experience for Viet and Remus, and hope for future breeding successes for them. Viet will most probably begin cycling again in the next month or so and will hopefully conceive again in the not too distant future.

Emma
Assistant Curator, Primates

For over 25 years Adelaide Zoo has been home to American Beavers (Castor canadensis).  Originally received from Zurich Zoo in 1984, they were one of many species donated from various Zoos around the world for Adelaide Zoos' centenary that year.

Sadly, this era came to an end on July 2 this year when our last female was euthanased.

Born on 19 November 1991, she was 1 of 3 kittens.  Generally living for 10-15 years in the wild, she had very few and minor health issues throughout her life.  However, with old age came health problems, and sadly in the last few weeks of her life she had acquired a severe infection.  It was with this in mind that her keepers and vet staff made the difficult decision to euthanase.

Those visitors to Adelaide Zoo who saw her gliding around in her pond or ambling about up on land (usually early in the morning or on cool and cloudy afternoons) were probably unaware that they were amongst a few and unique group of privileged people, lucky enough to see such a wonderful and graceful creature.

Not only was she the last of the Beavers at Adelaide Zoo, but also the only one in the Australasian region.

RIP Beaver Girl.

John
Mammal Keeper, Adelaide Zoo

Claude came to Adelaide Zoo in 1978. We are unsure of his actual age but he was definitely an old bird.

I remember him as a child, down at the old aviaries. He was always talkative - I remember lots of people use to walk past him without noticing, but because I was a member I got to know him.

Claude moved to Kids Zoo in 2004 where he has been really popular with visitors.  He use to say a lot, like ‘Hello Claude’, ‘come inside’, ‘what are you doing’, ‘have a cup of tea’ and ‘come and meet my wife’. He also sang like an old woman! Claude often went into the log in his exhibit to vocalize because it echoed, which I think was comforting to him as it was like someone else being there.

It was nice to work with him because in the morning he use to chatter while you were cleaning. But though he was really sociable when you were on the outside of the exhibit, but he didn’t like you going into the exhibit itself!

Claude and Huckleberry lived together for a few years. There wasn’t really much interaction between - Claude was always saying to Huckleberry ‘go away’ whenever he came near! However Huckleberry seems to be missing Claude and has been quieter for the past few days. He still says ‘hello Claude’.

Claude was such an icon of the zoo and very quirky to have around. It was sad this morning, we went in to clean and he wasn’t there to say good morning to.

It’s quiet without him being here.


Liza and Louise
Kids Zoo Keepers, Adelaide Zoo

Even when you know it’s the right thing to do, euthanasing an animal because of a debilitating incurable disease is always done with heavy heart – especially when that animal had been around for as long, and had touched as many zoo staff and visitors, as Dewi, one of our Malayan sun bears.

When the time came, keepers from around the zoo came to see Dewi for one last time, and her primary keeper came in on her day off to say goodbye.

It is with much sadness that I write to inform you of the loss of one of our female Sunbears, Dewi.

Dewi touched the lives of so many people in her 16 years at Adelaide Zoo – from the array of Keepers who looked after her, to the thousands of school children who met her through our education programs, and more recently to the groups of visitors who met her through the Bears @ Breakfast tours. She was a great ambassador for her species and enthused many to take up her cause of the plight of bears in the wild.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that a large percentage of our Zoo Volunteers are also members of Free The Bears, an organisation that helps rescue and rehabilitate bears in South East Asia –  I believe that knowing and meeting Dewi has in some way contributed to that fact.

Dewi was actually one of the lucky ones. Dewi (and Akbar our male) were victims of the poaching trade. Although records are sketchy the story goes they were small enough to fit into a shoe box, confiscated by officials in the Pahang area and taken to Melaka Zoo. They then made their way to Taiping Zoo before heading to Adelaide Zoo in November 1994. A year after that they became the first inhabitants of the brand new South East Asia section.

Although she had the sweetest nature Dewi did have her share of health issues – allergies! She was allergic to many airborne particles that would see her blow up like a balloon and become very itchy. After trial and error, we were successful in controlling these outbreaks with medication.  She was also discovered to have a wheat allergy – so her diet was strictly controlled – it is amazing where wheat products can turn up!

Her last illness was relatively short. We noticed an increase of fluid around her belly, and she had just began some medication for a heart condition (which causes this fluid retention). However her condition continued to deteriorate and the heart breaking decision was made that her time had come and the most humane thing to do was euthanize. Never an easy decision to make. (Check out our Wildlife Vets & Nurses blog for more information.)

Dewi may have been small - averaging around 48kg to Akbar's 62kg – but she kept him in line – she would nab the hammock, or wait patiently while he did the hard work of opening a coconut... and then pinch some! She had the typical bears love (obsession) of food and would go to great lengths for a spoonful of peanut butter!

It was a great privilege to work with her, and I, like many others, will miss her enormously.

RIP Dewi

Mandy Smith
South East Asia Keeper.

We recently said goodbye to Cubba, our Persian leopard. Born here at Adelaide Zoo, Cubba had lived a long healthy life and rarely required veterinary attention. About a month ago, Cubba was found suddenly lame on his right front leg one morning with an obvious swelling just above his wrist.

This is definitely a blog I was hoping not to write anytime soon. Our Persian Leopard, Ambar, whom we lovingly called ‘Cubba,’ was euthanased on Sunday. After a long life with very little illness or injury (and I might add the best set of teeth of all the big cats) Cubba succumbed to cancer related illness. A lump appeared on Cubba's leg and after a bone biopsy the worst was confirmed and Cubba was diagnosed with a bone sarcoma, cancer (check out the "Wildlife Vets & Nurses blog" for more info).

At the time of diagnosis Cubba was acting like him usual self, eating, roaring and jumping up to his favourite platform. But not long after diagnosis he stopped eating and was not his normal self, very quiet and barely moving around his exhibit. After much discussion between keepers and vet staff, we decided that euthanasia was best for this beautiful animal. Vets later discovered that his cancer had spread and was affecting other organs which affected his appetite and mobility.

Cubba was born here in 1992, thus he would have been turning a ripe old age of 18 this year. He was born with two brothers that went on to overseas zoos and Cubba remained at Adelaide. Within that 18 years Cubba has seen his far share of changes to the zoo, new faces and developed a dedicated fan base with the visitors.

I have only been at Adelaide Zoo now for 4 months and Cubba has touched my heart and was my favourite big cat, for how much personality he had. He even had the honour of being the subject of my very first blog. It was such a sad and emotional day for me but I know that what we did was best for him. So you can only imagine how my fellow Carnivore keepers are feeling, some have been working with Cubba since he was born.

So in remembrance of our beautiful Persian Leopard, Cubba, below are favourite moments or things that our current Carnivore keepers and other zoo staff/volunteers remember about Cubba. I am also inviting anyone reading this blog whom has visited Cubba or even worked with him to please add your favourite memory to the comments below, we would really appreciate hearing some great stories.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of Cubba's life.

Arliah

Big Cat Keepers:

Jason: I was here 18 years ago when he and his two brothers were born. They were the first litter of Persian Leopards I had worked with as a training Carnivore Keeper, so you can imagine how special he was to me. I had the privilege of working with him as he grew up and as he grew old. He will always be remembered for his shy and slightly aggressive nature but also for his softer, more playful side - something you got to see in him as you spent more time with him. Rest in peace big guy.

Chris: Cubba was such a regal chap, who more often than not chose to keep to himself. When least expected he could be a super playful young lad (much to my initial surprise)…. Or that was the way I saw him at least. In my eyes he never seemed to be an old animal, just a young animal that would always stay that way. Funny how things creep up on us really, well me anyhow in this instance in particular. I have lost some amazing friends in the form of animals and this guy definitely touched my heart so with him gone the world will surely be a poorer place, although it was best for him at the time to go….. So RIP to you big guy, you’ll always remain with me.

Matt: My favourite thing about Cubba was how he could be so shy, but when he would come into his lockaway and no one was around he would roll around on his back and carry on like a big kitten. He could be a big tough cat but when no one was looking he was deep down a big softy. Cubba will be greatly missed because he was a bit of a character at times, tended to do what he wanted when he wanted and was a pleasure to work with because it took a bit of time for him to get to know you and warm to you. You couldn’t just show up and start working with him, you need to form a bond first.

John: There are lots of things I could write about Cubba.  His snarling attitude to new people, his beautiful coat, the way he would be able to hide himself almost anywhere in his exhibit and only reveal himself (when he wanted you to see him) with a flick of the tuft on the end of his thickly furred tail.  But one thing that made me smile every time was hearing him roar.  It came from deep down, letting all around him know he was there, happy and content as the master of his domain. You could just about set your watch to him. At 9.30am, around the end of a Big Cat tour just as the guests were feeding the Lions he would start up.  What a voice!!  Daylight savings messed him up a little but it does the same to all of us. RIP Ambar

Steve: Cubba was a favourite among his keepers and many other staff and volunteers at the zoo as well.  He was by far the most secretive of all our big cats and I think that played a part in why he was so special to us.  He could be aggressive at times, like all big cats can, yet he could also be rather playful and responsive.  Most people never got to see this friendlier side to Cubba’s behaviour as he would only ‘play’ with people he had established a trusting bond with… and that took time. For me, there is one memory I have of Cubs that sums him up perfectly.  Not many people know this but Cubba didn’t live, entirely, on his own.  Cubba shared his den with a water skink that decided it was a good place to live.  Cubs didn’t bother the skink ever.  It could walk passed his paw, his nose, check out his food, no problem.  Cubs let it be.  He would watch it as it went by him but that was it; he never looked like hurting it.  The skink is mainly seen during winter when it seeks out the warmth of the den floor and the shelter provided by Cubba’s bed board.  I might just leave the den heaters on for a while to see if Cubba’s old mate shows up again in the next few months. I love that our most secretive cat had secrets of his own and that I was one of a lucky few to witness this softer side to Cubba’s nature. Rest in peace big guy.

Shawn: Cubba was one of the most “wild” and intelligent cats that I have had a chance to work with, an animal that will be sadly missed. Goodbye old mate, RIP. 

Arliah: my favourite memory is the first time I was successful in providing an enrichment item to Cubba that he actually interacted with. After failed attempts with boxes covered in blood, herbs, grasses, giraffe faeces and many others I tried him on a simple item... a ball. This very large ball had been in with the Lions the previous two days so was covered in all sorts of scents. To my amazement Cubba actually sniffed, pawed at and rolled the ball for several minutes, seeming perplexed by it. Then, as him usual self, moved on and slept in his favourite spot.

Other zoo staff and volunteers:

Dianne & Paula, Vet Nurses: Paula and I had the privilege of looking after Cubba at the Animal Health Centre for 8 months, whilst his exhibit was being renovated.  I will never forget the good morning greeting of a “hiss and a growl.” At first, this was quite intimidating but eventually we learnt that it was just Cubba’s way of saying hello.  We will miss him terribly as it is the end of an era.  Goodbye Cubba, it was an absolute pleasure to be able to work with such a majestic animal.

Lynley, Vet: It was a terribly sad day when Cubba's time came to an end.  As a vet, the relationship you have with an animal is very different from that of the keepers, often we are viewed as the “bad guys” just because the animal doesn’t understand why we do things to them.  It seemed however that Cubba had an understanding that we were trying to help him.  He was such a beautiful majestic animal that I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with.  I am so terribly sad that Cubba is not with us anymore but also happy that we were able to end his life peacefully and with dignity.  All his keepers were with him and reassuring him and all had some time alone with him, to give him a special goodbye that he deserved.  The amazing old age that he reached is a credit to his keepers who loved and cared for him so much.  RIP Cubba.    

Jason, Horticulture Dept: I have been taking care of the Big Cat section for almost three years, this includes inside the exhibits and the strip of plant life along the public side. When taking care of the plants in front of Cubbas’ exhibit, he would often watch me with those big eyes, always so interested in what I was doing. I will always remember the look on Cubbas’ face after each time I went in and trimmed back all the plants in his exhibit, usually exposing some of his hiding spots, “a look of I just had all the visitors fooled and now I have to look for new spots, thanks a lot Jason,” usually followed by a growl. Good bye old friend, RIP.

Monique, Interpretation Dept: I always smile whenever I remember Cubba’s ferocity when a vet was nearby - such a wild cat! Without a doubt he was the most beautiful cat I’ve ever seen and I felt incredibly privileged to touch his gorgeous coat during his surgery. I’ll never forget that moment. Rest easy, beautiful boy.

Mary, BEEZA: I have been a volunteer for the Behind the Scenes Tours since they started four years ago and the Big Cat tour is my favourite by far. Seeing these majestic animals on a regular basis gave me the initiative to further research about these animals. In addition to seeing them on the tour I usually come down every morning to see the big cats, especially the elusive Cubba. Not too long ago I had the opportunity to feed Cubba a rib and I am so glad I had that special moment to see him up close. Goodbye Cubba, you will always have a special place in my heart.

Today the vet Dr Lynley Johnson and myself performed a post mortem on a Barbary Sheep.

For these procedures, the vet is required to take certain samples which get stored in formalin and then sent to the pathology lab for testing. All animals that pass away at the zoo get autopsied as this helps us monitor for any emerging infectious diseases, and to establish a cause of death. Results are usually back from the lab within a week.

It can be quite sad having to open up an animal that has died, but the benefits of lab testing are many and this is why we do it.

Mishelle

One of the Cotton-top Tamarin triplets started looking a bit weak on Sunday 5th July. One of the zoo watchers noticed it slipped off dad when being swapped over to mum. It fell to the ground and was immediately picked up by dad and everything seemed fine for the rest of the day.

One the Mon 6th July a volunteer noted another fall (we can only assume that it was the same individual). On the Tuesday 7th July a baby fell again but this time the others were not able to pick it up as it was unable to hold on to them.

The baby was taken to the Animal Health Center and was rehydrated and warmed up. We then tried to reintroduce her to the rest of the group. All individuals showed interest in the baby and tried to collect it but it was still too weak to hold on.

The decision was made to try to get the baby stronger overnight and to try again for a reintroduction the following morning. Unfortunately even with our best efforts the little one died during the night.

The other two remaining individuals are doing excellent and the groups seems fine.


Simone

Matilda died on 23rd April 2009. It’s been really hard thing to talk about and has taken me a long time to talk about her death. She died pretty quickly. The night before she died she was acting a bit odd, wasn’t drinking very well and in the morning she was making a pain kind of noise. So I brought her in on my day off and Lynley (one of the vets) operated on her straight away.

Matilda had a torsion (a twist in her gut). She died during the operation, they brought her back the first time but the second time they couldn’t bring her back. It’s a high risk operation, especially as she was so small, it’s very tender area and it’s hard to monitor koalas under anesthetic.

A small number of Victorian Koalas were introduced into South Australia because our koala was wiped out. Researchers think it is causing issues in the wild, like liver issues, because they are all related to each other. Matilda had liver problems, which may have contributed to her decline as it meant she was in pain and couldn’t eat properly, so her gut was affected because her food wasn’t going down like it should be.

It was a stressful time when she was sick, but when I hand raise animals I’m pretty calm as you never know what’s going to happen. Sometimes you expect the worse. When Matilda got sick I thought there was a good chance she wouldn’t survive, but was hoping for the best. I find if you’re stressful the animals pick up on it so I tend to go with the flow rather than worry or thinking about what could happen.

Matilda was a lot different to any other animal I’ve hand raised (I’ve hand raised a lot of other animals such as possums, bettongs, kangaroos and warrus). Matilda was more like a baby, she needed constant cuddles and attention, reached out for you like a child, she’d call and cry, all those sort of things. I kind of miss that sort of thing though. She was very playful as well when she was healthy, like running around the lounge area and up a branch. She had a lot of character and was very strong willed, and I thought she would be strong enough because of that.

Koalas are one of the hardest animals to hand raise. We find that koalas that have been hit by car or attacked by dogs are usually stronger than those that have been abandoned. Matilda’s mum was hit by a car but when she came here she looked older than her weight, meaning we weren’t sure exactly how old she was.

It was really sad but Matilda was a great koala.


Liza

One of Monarto Zoo’s African Lions, Levi, sadly passed away recently after a week of deteriorating health.

Levi underwent numerous tests and x-rays to try to determine the cause of his lack of appetite and dehydration but the results failed to indicate a direct cause for his ill health. Unable to raise himself one morning, our vets decided urgent action was needed and exploratory surgery was performed. Levi survived the surgery, which uncovered an enlarged spleen that was removed, but despite staff efforts he did not survive the night.

Chief Executive Officer of Zoos South Australia, Dr Chris West said, “It’s very sad, thankfully he has fathered the cubs at Monarto Zoo. The team are mourning his death but they did all they could... it’s a sad fact that our animals don’t live forever.”

Born in November 1999 at Mogo Zoo, Levi came to Monarto Zoo in July of 2003 with his brother Leroy. The pair were introduced to four female lionesses- Tiombe, Kiamba, Zalika and Kabira - to form a breeding group and pride at Monarto Zoo. Levi was an important part of the pride and fathered two cubs in September 2007.

Known for his fiery temperament and dominant personality, Levi will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Pusung was born at Perth Zoo on 25th February 1978 and was hand raised from the age of 1. In 1989 he went to Singapore Zoo, where he fathered five young. He returned to Australia and began living at Adelaide Zoo in October 2000, as part of the international breeding program.

He enjoyed human company and was extremely popular with his keepers and all those who were fortunate enough to meet him. Pusung was a quiet, gentle giant who was the face of Adelaide Zoo.

Keepers who worked with him are devastated to lose such a wonderful old friend and colleague.

Lola was a juvenile Victorian Koala that came into our care on 4th January 2008 from Cleland Wildlife Park.

The history of her mother was not known, but she was handed in as an orphan in quite a sorry state.  She was only just furry, dehydrated and very listless. From her weight, we were estimating Lola to be about 6 months old and definitely unable to look after herself.

Initially Lola was given intensive ‘round the clock’ care, but after a few days she started drinking milk and settled into the family very well. Little did we know that in a few months she would take over and have everyone in the household completely smitten.

As Lola grew she became an excellent ambassador for wildlife, both at home and here at the zoo. She educated many people, adults and children alike, on looking after our native animals.

I used to think koalas were fairly docile, inactive animals that just ate gum and slept. Now I know the truth... they are fun, playful, excitable, stubborn and independent. They love a bit of exercise at dusk and a big hug in the morning.

by Beck Probert, Vet Nurse at Zoos SA and one of Lola's "mums"

22 January 1976 - 18 September 2008

Eli was born at Artis Zoo, Amsterdam on 22 January 1976 and arrived at Adelaide Zoo in 1978. He always had a relaxed manner and rarely showed any signs of aggression. In the morning he often acknowledged his keeper by waving his big paw in the air.

In summer he spent a lot of time in his pond playing with toys like fire hoses and milk crates.  And he loved to tear open boxes of sawdust which his sharp teeth and claws and then roll around in the sawdust.