Independent assessment of Lucy the elephant reveals ‘new medical information’: City of Edmonton – Edmonton | 24CA News
Edmonton Valley Zoo and animal advocacy group Free The Wild cooperated on an unbiased evaluation of Lucy, the 47-year-old Asian elephant.
The October 2022 evaluation revealed medical details about the animal that was beforehand unknown, the town stated Tuesday, whereas releasing the outcomes publicly.
The medical assessments happened over three days on the zoo and various follow-up assessments within the months after.
Read extra:
Animal rights group requires unbiased well being overview of Edmonton’s Lucy the elephant
Four worldwide consultants discovered that Lucy has very extreme hypoxemia and hypercapnia — low oxygen and excessive carbon dioxide ranges in her blood and tissues — and two of the visiting veterinarians discovered she breaths solely by way of her mouth, which they are saying they’ve by no means seen earlier than.
The metropolis stated Lucy’s respiration difficulty is “more serious than the visiting experts anticipated” and “unfortunately the root cause of the condition remains undiagnosed.”
Free The Wild stated that due to her respiration difficulty, the consultants couldn’t sedate Lucy through the evaluation as a result of it may “easily cease her breathing.” This additionally restricted the varieties of assessments that could possibly be executed, the animal group stated in a news launch.
It was additionally found that she has a uterine tumour (leiomyoma), which the town stated is kind of frequent in feminine elephants who’ve by no means given beginning. The tumour is massive and is being handled with a vaccine really useful by the visiting veterinarians.
The evaluation was carried out by 4 worldwide elephant veterinary and husbandry consultants: Dr. Frank Goeritz, Dr. Thomas Hildebrandt, Dr. Patricia London and Mr. Ingo Schmidinger.
“While the majority of visiting experts agreed with previous expert assessments that she is not fit to travel, they were not unanimous,” the town stated in a news launch Tuesday.
However, after reviewing the studies, each the zoo and Free The Wild agreed that Lucy isn’t match to journey “due to the uncertainties regarding her severe breathing impairment” and can stay on the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
“Conclusions from some of the visiting experts confirm what previous independent experts have advised about the very high risk presented if she were to travel,” zoo director Gary Dewar stated. “Over the past 45 years, staff at the Edmonton Valley Zoo have worked tirelessly to give Lucy the best care and best home she deserves. We will strive to ensure she continues to receive excellent care.”
Lucy the Asian elephant on the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
Provided: City of Edmonton
“Whilst the reports were not unanimous, it is the overarching recommendation of Free The Wild and the professional panel that Lucy remains in place until evident improvements to her overall health and breathing are recorded,” the group stated in its news launch.
“However, to ensure Lucy’s well-being, the panel has made it clear that several significant changes need to be made to her facilities and the way she is cared for by zoo staff.”
The suggestions embody:
- Providing further area and freedoms for Lucy to roam at her leisure;
- Fresh water for bathing and wallowing;
- Air high quality checks with the implementation of air filtration programs to make sure she breathes clear, microbe-free air;
- Changes to Lucy’s food regimen to assist her drop some weight, as being chubby can affect her joints and long-term livelihood;
- Move to a protected contact administration system to extend her autonomy.
Free The Wild stated the Edmonton Valley Zoo has been made conscious of those suggestions and it’s assured they are going to be carried out. The group and several other panelists will work with the zoo within the following months to watch progress, Free The Wild stated.
“Lucy’s case is a unique one and we appreciate the cooperation of Edmonton Valley Zoo in working with us to provide her with the best possible care,” Free The Wild co-founder Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne stated.
“We believe these changes will improve her health and overall well-being and are committed to monitoring her progress in the coming months.”
The metropolis stated a number of of the panel’s suggestions have been carried out, together with modifications to Lucy’s food regimen and medical remedies. The elephant has already misplaced 326 kilograms, the town stated.
“I’ve travelled the world and I’ve been to many zoos and sanctuaries and circuses across the globe,” stated Sagan Cowne, trustee and director of communications for Free the Wild. “What I’ve seen here in terms of commitment from the zoo staff is extraordinary. It’s definitely a very good baseline from which any zoo should look to (to care for) their animals.”
Lucy got here to the zoo as a two-year-old orphan in 1977.
The metropolis says the zoo will proceed to watch Lucy’s weight and general well being, in addition to have a look at potential modifications to her housing, enrichments and routines.
“We are happy to have medical insights we didn’t have before,” Dewar stated. “We are looking forward to having some of these experts return later this year to do follow-up examinations.”
An annual, unbiased evaluation is required by Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) in an effort to keep Lucy in Edmonton as a lone elephant. She has been assessed yearly by exterior consultants for greater than a decade, the town stated.
To learn the most recent (and former) medical assessments of Lucy the elephant, click on right here.
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