Current:Home > MarketsAll 5 meerkats at Philadelphia Zoo died within days; officials suspect accidental poisoning-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
All 5 meerkats at Philadelphia Zoo died within days; officials suspect accidental poisoning
View Date:2024-12-23 23:20:29
Officials at the Philadelphia Zoo are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to solve the mysterious deaths of all five of the zoo's meerkats.
In less than a month, the five meerkats — Nkosi, Lula, Nya, Kgala, and Ari — became acutely ill and died, an official told CBS News.
"Before the team could intervene, Nkosi, one of the males, passed," Amy Shearer, the chief experience officer at the zoo, said. "Despite best and almost heroic efforts by the veterinary and keeper teams, Lula, Nya and Kgala passed away shortly thereafter, and Ari, the remaining meerkat, died earlier this week."
A member of the mongoose family, meerkats — also known as suricates — are active carnivores that live in burrows in Africa.
The five were brought to the Philadelphia Zoo as a group of siblings in 2013.
Necropsy results are pending to determine how the meerkats died, but officials have identified a possible culprit.
"We suspect that they may have accidentally consumed something toxic," Shearer said, singling out an agricultural dye known as Nyanzol-D. "We have used this animal dye...for over 30 years."
The dye is routinely used to mark animals and differentiate them, Rachel Metz, the zoo's vice president of animal well-being, told CBS Philadelphia.
The dye was used on the meerkats on June 1, and one of them was found dead about 30 minutes later, officials told the Associated Press. The four others started showing signs of acute illness shortly afterward, prompting veterinary staff to anesthetize them and pump their stomachs, AP reported.
Shearer said that the zoo is working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in addition to the Department of Agriculture, to find out all the facts and determine exactly what caused the deaths.
- In:
- Philadelphia Zoo
- Philadelphia
Michael Roppolo is a CBS News reporter. He covers a wide variety of topics, including science and technology, crime and justice, and disability rights.
TwitterveryGood! (6134)
Related
- Why Josh O'Connor Calls Sex Scenes Least Sexy Thing After Challengers With Zendaya and Mike Faist
- Deputy U.S. Marshal charged with entering plane drunk after misconduct report on flight to London
- Biden Administration announces first-ever Ocean Justice Strategy. What's that?
- The Surprising Reason Meryl Streep Almost Didn't Get Cast in The Devil Wears Prada
- 'Red One' review: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans embark on a joyless search for Santa
- Bronny James expected to make USC debut Sunday against Long Beach State
- Demi Lovato Shares the Real Story Behind Her Special Relationship With Boyfriend Jutes
- Families press for inspector general investigation of Army reservist who killed 18
- Mason Bates’ Met-bound opera ‘Kavalier & Clay’ based on Michael Chabon novel premieres in Indiana
- How Ukraine's tech experts joined forces with the government despite differences
Ranking
- NASCAR Cup Series Championship race 2024: Start time, TV, live stream, odds, lineup
- A Jan. 6 rioter praised Vivek Ramaswamy at his sentencing for suggesting riot was an ‘inside job’
- Tampa teen faces murder charge in mass shooting on Halloween weekend
- Scientists: Climate change intensified the rains devastating East Africa
- Kyle Richards Swears This Holiday Candle Is the Best Scent Ever and She Uses It All Year
- San Diego police officer and suspect shot in supermarket parking lot during investigation
- The Best Family Gifts That Will Delight the Entire Crew This Holiday Season
- Deion Sanders lands nation's top offensive line recruit
Recommendation
-
NBC's hospital sitcom 'St. Denis Medical' might heal you with laughter: Review
-
Construction of a cable to connect the power grids of Greece and Cyprus is set to start next year
-
Georgia lawmakers send redrawn congressional map keeping 9-5 Republican edge to judge for approval
-
Two GOP presidential debates are set for Iowa and New Hampshire in January before the voting begins
-
NFL overreactions: New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys going nowhere after Week 10
-
Man found dead after staff see big cat holding a shoe in its mouth at Pakistan zoo
-
What to know about Hanukkah and how it's celebrated around the world
-
NPR's most popular self-help and lifestyle stories of 2023