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| Location: |
Captive - Europe |
| Subject: |
Management - Programs |
| Species: |
Sumatran Rhino |
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Port Lympne - death of female Subur in 1986. At the time there happened to be three veterinary surgeons present: myself; Dr. John Lewis of the Zoological Society of London and David Taylor of the International Zoo Veterinary Group.
The consensus of opinion was a diagnosis of acute colic. Despite treatment during the day, she deteriorated rapidly and died during the evening, about 12 hours after first becoming ill.
An immediate postmortem examination revealed massive inflammatory changes in the large intestine, almost allergic in nature. The whole intestine had filled with gas. However, several other features helped to complete the picture. She was much older than any of us had suspected, judging by her worn teeth. The big surprise her uterus. It appeared never to have been pregnant, and both ovaries were apparently dormant. Furthermore, a tumour was found on the uterus.
Laboratory tests on various tissues showed that the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae was present in the gut in huge numbers. This is an unusual feature in this type of animal. There was also evidence of mild chronic muscle disease. The precise cause of death remains elusive. It was probably a combination of several factors the short period of time in captivity in Sumatra, the stress of the journey to Britain, and the unfamiliar browse and environment - which, together, contributed to a situation where a major change in the intestinal flora occurred with fatal results. However, the animal had certainly never bred, and would have been of no use for captive breeding.
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The death of Subur
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