Exotic Incident #1101
Reported:
Location:
San Diego, CA - USA
Species:
Trap Type:
Incident Date:
04/02/2008
Victim's Disposition:
Victim's Name:
Legal Action:
Result:
Summary:
A 2-month-old baby elephant at the San Diego Zoo was euthanized after struggling since birth. The elephant calf was suffering from an antibiotic-resistant staph infection, which was also reported in three zoo employees. It was unclear whether the elephant or the zoo staff members were the first to present with the infection. Additionally, the baby elephant had suffered from the effects of malnourishment, unable to get enough milk from the mother elephant, or to transition well to drinking formula.