Purrfect Picnics

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium is the purr-fect solution for your company's outings and events!

Contact: Or visit:

Hollye Gurley Group Sales Manager

hollyegurley@fotzkc.org

816-595-1494 kansascityzoo.org/picnics

Meeting space and after-hours events also available. Learn more at: kansascityzoo.org/corporate-meetings

Maddie and Matilda Chobe and Zakouma

Maddie, a 16-year-old female eastern bongo, was humanely euthanized in May due to kidney and liver failure from amyloidosis. She had been treated daily, but the difficult decision was made when she did not make significant improvement. According to her caregivers, Maddie was considered the shyest bongo but loved scratches and interaction once she warmed up to a person. She loved relaxing, but also would also like to go for adventures in the habitat and return with mud and leaves stuck to the top of her horns, which the animal care specialists lovingly called her “tiara.”

Matilda bongo, who was 15, was euthanized in July due to age-associated renal failure and amyloidosis of the liver. She was a particularly social bongo who greeted caregivers by presenting her head for scratches. One of Matilda’s favorite things was eating browse, and her care team would find different varieties for her to try. Matilda enjoyed training for new behaviors, and she was the first bongo at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium to participate in a voluntary blood draw. She was a great ambassador for her species, and a favorite of many zoo guests and animal care staff members.

Both of these bongo gals lived beyond average life expectancy and their longevity is a testament to the excellent care they received. They were the last of this type of antelope at the KCZoo, and decisions will be made in partnership with the Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s Eastern Bongo Species Survival Plan as to whether additional bongos will be transferred here.

In May, one of the Zoo’s African painted dogs, Chobe, showed an acute decline in health and passed while recovering from an immobilization. It was later confirmed his death was a result of congestive heart failure. Unfortunately, heart disease is common in African painted dogs, though the cause is unknown. Chobe was ranked second in the hierarchy of his pack and was a talkative dog who loved to explore enrichment. Though he was not the bravest of the dogs, his personality shined once he became comfortable with his surroundings.

Zakouma, another of the African painted dog brothers at the Zoo, suffered a severe injury to his left rear leg several months ago that resulted in a life-threatening bacterial infection. After amputating the leg, Zakouma showed marked improvement before then injuring his other back leg. Despite weeks of rest, Zakouma’s health continued to decline and his quality of life was greatly affected, so he was euthanized in July. Zakouma’s care specialists remember Zakouma being intrigued by new things and he was often the first to explore new enrichment. Ranking first among the pack, Zakouma enjoyed interactions with his care specialists during feeding sessions and was often the first to come up to eat. He loved peanut butter and rolling in hay.

The remaining three painted dog brothers continue to reside in the Africa section of the Zoo, but these two wild canines will be missed dearly.