The Toronto Zoo ended 2024 by saying goodbye to two geriatric, long-term residents, a 25-year-old spotted hyena and an 11-year-old American moose. – Last year was the latest in a series of animal deaths at the zoo.
The hyena, Moza, was lethargic and weak on Christmas Day, the zoo said in a social media post on Saturday.
After her health rapidly declined, “it was determined that euthanasia was warranted due to the poor prognosis for recovery,” the zoo said.
The socks were on the upper end of the spotted hyena's lifespan, as the zoo estimates the species lives between 12 and 25 years.
Meanwhile, the moose, Lily, had been under surveillance since Dec. 23, after staff noticed her behavior had changed and her stomach was distended.
“She was reluctant to move, had an unusual gait and general malaise,” the zoo said.
Lily was pronounced dead after the staff did an exam, blood work and an ultrasound. After his death, there are no more moose at the Toronto Zoo.
The zoo said it was thanks to Lily and Moja's contribution and influence as “ambassadors for their species in the wild”.
7 animals die in zoo's 50th anniversary year
Socks and Lily are among the zoo's announced deaths in 2024, its 50th anniversary year.
The two-year-old Masai giraffe died in July due to complications from anesthesia during surgery.
In August, a 10-year-old female red panda died after experiencing health problems – just three weeks after one of her cubs died. Red pandas have a high mortality rate in their first year, the zoo said at the time.
That same month, the 11-year-old rat died after his health deteriorated. It was one of two, along with Lily, in the zoo's Canadian domain, and had outlived the lifespan of a moose in human care, the zoo said.
And in October, the zoo lost Charles, a 52-year-old western lowland silverback gorilla who had been at the zoo since its opening day in 1974.
On Friday, the zoo marked the end of its 50th anniversary year by commemorating the team's “ongoing commitment” to animal care, particularly for geriatrics.
“It is a privilege to care for the animals that call the Toronto Zoo home and we are committed to their overall well-being throughout their lives,” the zoo said.
