By Jamie Burch, News Director
ABILENE, Texas – The Abilene Zoo confirms Cruz, one of its three maned wolfs, died of a heart attack.
At the time of his death on Jan. 8, Cruz was scheduled to be shipped to Altina Wildlife Park in Australia to participate in a breeding program.
“He was sedated for a physical exam and medication administration required to be imported to Australia,” said from zoo vet Dr. Stephanie Carle. “(Cruz) experienced a heart attack during the procedure possibly due to abnormal fat accumulation in his heart and other organs.”
Carle said based on the necropsy, it was unclear if the wolf would have survived the trip to Australia.
The maned wolf is considered endangered in its native South America.
Cruz was scheduled to breed with a female from the zoo in Pueblo, Colorado. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums will now try to find her another mate for her, according to Kelly Thompson, the marketing and development coordinator at the Abilene Zoo.
The Abilene Zoo has two other maned wolves, Cruz’s parents – Rosita and Cerrado. His sister, Sofia, is at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center near Glen Rose which recently gave the Abilene Zoo a baby giraffe.
Cruz is the fourth animal to die at the zoo since September.
Wailer the jaguar was euthanized last week after battling chronic kidney disease. Boris, a north American black bear, and Mocco, the two-toed sloth, died within days of each other in September. Boris had congestive heart failure and had to be put down. Mocco died after a gastrointestinal infection spread to his bloodstream.