Category: Zoological Medicine
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
The Oklahoma City Zoo continues to be a leader in the field of animal medicine, innovating a new stem cell-based treatment to improve blood flow and shorten recovery time. When geriatric elephant Bamboo, 53, experienced a minor tail wound, veterinary staff came together and made a plan to help accelerate healing. Tails have smaller blood vessels and take longer to heal, especially in older animals. The OKC Zoo veterinary team decided to launch a two-pronged treatment approach. First, the...
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at Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
On Wednesday, June 27, Oklahoma City Zoo veterinary staff conducted a full exam of female pygmy hippopotamus Francesca, 26, after caretakers observed decreased appetite, lethargy and signs of severe abdominal pain. During the exam, they discovered Franny had dental disease with possible bacterial infection and three teeth were removed. Her remaining teeth are significantly worn which is normal for her age. She was also treated for colic (severe intestinal inflammation) and IV fluids,...
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at Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
The Zoo’s Tiger Cub Cam has brought our tiger family into homes all over the world, and now, we are proud to announce an upcoming milestone for Lola’s four growing cubs - venturing outside for the very first time!
Since its launch on August 10, the Tiger Cub Cam has been viewed over 142,000 times! For our team, the positive responses from those who’ve tuned in have been incredibly rewarding to see. Amur tiger, Zoya’s, successful integration with our three...
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at Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
If I had to choose just one animal at the Oklahoma City Zoo that stands out as giving joy to literally millions of guests through the years, it would be our California sea lion, Moe. Sadly, however, Moe passed away Tuesday, January, 17, due to age-related health conditions. Moe was 30 years old and lived well beyond a sea lion’s median life expectancy of 23 years.
Early Life
Born in May 1986, he came to the Zoo from the Tulsa Zoo at just nine months old, so I had known Moe since...
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at Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
When it comes to the Oklahoma City Zoo’s six Asian elephants one thing is for certain, they are all different. Different personalities, eating habits, likes and dislikes, and it’s up to us, their caretakers, to know everything we can about these amazing animals entrusted in our care.
A typical day for an elephant caretaker entails more than just feeding and cleaning up after the elephants. We give them daily baths (we check each elephant from trunk to tail to ensure everything...
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at Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Friday, September 16, 2016
Last October, I experienced one of the worst days of my life. Thinking about the loss of our elephant calf, Malee, still gets me emotional. Losing her was similar to losing a family member. Nearly one year later, I’m proud to share the Oklahoma City Zoo is making an unprecedented commitment to the health of our elephants. Our zoo will be the first in the country with the capability to conduct critical veterinary testing on site for a virus that affects elephants. This will provide...
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at Friday, September 16, 2016