By Kelly Werthmann
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DENVER (KCNC) — Under bright lights inside the Denver Zoo’s animal hospital, 12-year-old Sumatran tiger ChloJo lies on an operating table Tuesday morning as veterinarians remove a small mass from her back.
It’s not an emergency — it’s preventive care. And for head veterinarian Dr. Jimmy Johnson, it’s part of a philosophy that guides every decision made for the zoo’s roughly 3,000 animals representing 450 species.
“We tend to refer to that as ‘whole life care,’ which is a huge part of what we do here at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance,” Johnson said.
That care includes everything from birth and routine checkups to aging, chronic illness, and, when necessary, end-of-life decisions.
“Ensuring they have a really enriched and fulfilling life throughout their time here in our care, and that does include, unfortunately but inevitably, end of life care as well,” Johnson said.
The topic has drawn increased attention this year following several high-profile animal deaths at the zoo.
In May, the zoo euthanized Rudy, a 32-year-old black rhinoceros, after chronic health conditions and age-related mobility issues continued to progress. In June, staff said goodbye to Indy, a 46-year-old Egyptian vulture believed to be among the oldest of her species in human care. July brought the loss of Kai, a Cape buffalo calf born earlier this year, after veterinary teams determined his kidney failure could not be treated. Days later, Hagrid, a critically endangered Bactrian camel, died unexpectedly after suffering acute gastrointestinal complications.
Kai’s case remains especially difficult for the zoo’s animal care team.
“As he grew, his kidneys were not able to keep up, and that unfortunately is a condition we were not able to cure and allow him to continue to grow and lead a meaningful quality of life,” Johnson explained.
Two other animal deaths this year resulted from human error; two Malayan tapirs died after receiving toxic levels of a copper supplement. The zoo said an investigation found a medication preparation error and prompted an internal review of its procedures. Additional safeguards have since been implemented to help prevent a similar mistake from happening again.
Johnson said every loss is difficult for staff members who spend years caring for the animals.
“It is hard, and it’s hard because we care,” he said.
Still, he said the number of animal passings this year is not too unusual for a zoological institution with thousands of animals and hundreds of species, each with different lifespans, health challenges and aging processes. When an animal develops a terminal or untreatable condition, Johnson said the animal care teams focus on quality of life rather than simply extending life.
“We always ask ourselves, just because we can, should we, and what does the outlook for that animal look like?” he said. “We don’t focus just on quantity of life; we focus on quality of life as well.”
That philosophy, he explained, guides euthanasia decisions.
“Euthanasia in itself means ‘good death’, and it’s a part of the care we provide,” Johnson said. “It’s not giving up. It is not an absolute last resort. It is a part of a thoughtful end of life care plan because we want every animal to have a comfortable and dignified end of their life.”
Johnson added care teams do all they can to make those decisions before animals experience significant pain or suffering.
“An animal’s last day does not need to be their worst day,” he said.
And the work does not stop when an animal dies. The zoo’s board-certified pathologist performs a necropsy and reviews diagnostic information following every animal death. Johnson said those examinations help veterinarians better understand diseases, improve animal care, and contribute to conservation efforts around the world.
“It’s a silver lining, but a very positive silver lining, in that even though we’ve lost an animal and that’s hard, that animal is contributing to our understanding and allowing us to continue to advance the already high-quality care that we provide,” he said.
For visitors, the zoo experience is often measured in moments spent watching animals in their habitats. Behind the scenes, Johnson said, the work is measured across a lifetime. And sometimes, he said, caring well for an animal means making one of the hardest decisions a veterinarian can face.
“I have euthanized animals throughout my career, it doesn’t get any easier,” he said. “But I think what really reaffirms my commitment to our animals in this profession and my love of animals is knowing that the animals that live at Denver Zoo have the absolute best care possible, and that includes end of life care as well.”
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