Honolulu Zoo Cares For Aging Animals
HONOLULU — The Honolulu Zoo is trying to put more emphasis on caring for its population of aging animals since they live much longer in captivity than in the wild.
Cleo, the second oldest hippo in captivity in America, is 53-years-old and long past her expected life expectancy of 35.
She sits in a holding pen all day, being cooled by sprinklers, because the Honolulu Zoo’s two younger hippos don’t get along with her.
“Younger ones started to fight with Cleo and because of her age. She was starting to have a lot of problems and couldn’t deal with that type of situation,” Honolulu Zoo Curator Peter Luscomb said.
Zoo animals live much longer than their counterparts in the wild because of regular medical care, and they don’t worry about the same things.
“Predators, lack of food, environmental conditions, the weather patterns,” Luscomb said.
“We are putting more emphasis on taking care of our aging population,” said Sid Quintal, with City Enterprise Services Director.
The zoo’s only remaining Malayan Sun Bear can be fed cereal by hand now because she’s so old her teeth are worn down to the gum line. She’s 33 and the official lifespan for the species is around 23.
“Obviously we didn’t want to compromise her health for a new young breeding pair,” Luscomb said.
With a new pair of Malayan Sun Bears on the way, the elder bear will retire to a newly-fenced off portion of the exhibit.
And then there’s Ethel, who is 22, and one of the zoo’s two elderly lions. She’s weak, not moving well and is on meds for arthritis and other ailments.
“She’s a very old animal. One of our biggest concerns is she’s dropped a lot of weight,” Luscomb said.
Over the next year, the zoo said it plans to convert the area in back of the lions’ exhibit to a retirement home for the two old lions so they can live out their lives peacefully.