It has been a challenging time for the San Diego Zoo, where three beloved animals \u2014 a polar bear, giraffe and gorilla \u2014 died within days of each other.<\/p>\n
The latest death occurred Monday, when Maka, a 30-year-old Western lowland gorilla, suffered a cardiac event, according to zoo officials.<\/p>\n
His sudden death came four days after Kalluk, a 24-year-old male polar bear; and Nicky, a 28-year-old Masai giraffe, were euthanized on the same day to minimize suffering as they neared the end of their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat week was hard. We were like: \u2018We just can\u2019t catch a break right now,\u2019\u201d said Nicki Boyd, curator of mammals, ambassadors and applied behavior at the zoo.<\/p>\n
The three animals were longtime residents of the zoo, capturing the eyes and hearts of visitors while helping promote conservation efforts for their species.<\/p>\n
The woeful week began on Aug. 14, when a wildlife health and care team conducted a medical examination of Kalluk. They had noticed a change in his behavior for the past few weeks.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kalluk, a 24-year-old polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, was euthanized on Aug. 14.<\/p>\n
(Ken Bohn \/ San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting the call that he was in kidney failure was just a gut punch,\u201d Boyd said.<\/p>\n
Kalluk arrived at the San Diego Zoo as a cub in 2001 after being orphaned along with his sister, Tatqiq. Zoo officials said he was inquisitive, gentle and smart.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis presence in Polar Bear Plunge helped foster bonds with his sister and Chinook, another orphaned female polar bear,\u201d zoo officials said in a statement. \u201cThrough caring for Kalluk, the zoo has supported a large number of polar bear conservation projects over the years that aid in the protection of polar bears around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kalluk had exceeded the typical lifespan of a male polar bear in the wild, which is about 18 years, according to zoo officials.<\/p>\n
The same day Kalluk\u2019s life was coming to an end, so was Nicky\u2019s. <\/p>\n
Nicky was not only the matriarch of her herd, but was believed to be the oldest giraffe in North America, according to zoo officials. <\/p>\n
She helped show other first-time mothers how to care for their calves. Her son was also the bull of the herd. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At 28 years old, Nicky was believed to be the oldest Masai giraffe in North America, and was the matriarch of her herd at the San Diego Zoo.<\/p>\n
(Ken Bohn \/ San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)<\/p>\n
\u201cShe just had a grandson born and to see her go up to that new mom and that new giraffe calf and nuzzle that baby, she\u2019s always been a great leader in that giraffe herd,\u201d Boyd said. \u201c She\u2019s always been a fan favorite from guests to the employees.\u201d <\/p>\n
The wildlife care team was able to have quality time with Nicky, spoiling her with leaves from her favorite tree and allowing former staffers to visit and say goodbye. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what makes us feel better that her last day is not her worst day,\u201d Boyd said. <\/p>\n
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance staff members were still grieving when they were further rocked by Maka\u2019s death this week. <\/p>\n
Maka was born at the zoo and became leader of the zoo\u2019s bachelor troop, officials said in a statement. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the oldest, most experienced member and patiently guided his younger brothers, Ekuba and Denny,\u201d the statement read. <\/p>\n
Zoo officials said that Maka was 5 when he was diagnosed with chromosomal abnormalities and had been receiving treatment throughout his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecently, he began experiencing brief seizures, prompting our team to monitor his wellness closely and schedule ongoing comprehensive evaluations,\u201d zoo officials said on a recent Instagram post about his death. They said he experienced a cardiac event during this week\u2019s exam. <\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the heroic and sustained efforts of our wildlife health and care teams, we lost our gentle giant,\u201d zoo officials wrote on the social media post.<\/p>\n
Boyd, who has been working at the zoo for more than 30 years, said it was the first time three animals had been lost in such a short period.<\/p>\n
She said the zoo is home to more than 12,000 animals, each with its own lifespan. <\/p>\n
While death is inevitable, it\u2019s always difficult for the wildlife health and care teams who spend years forming bonds with the animals.<\/p>\n
Boyd said there\u2019s some comfort in knowing the animals lived long good lives, which spoke to the attention and care they received from the staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you know, finality and letting go is always hard,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Maka, who was born at the San Diego Zoo and became the leader of the zoo\u2019s bachelor troop, died on Aug. 18.<\/p>\n
(San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)<\/p>\n
As a way to help with the grieving process, Boyd said they\u2019ve made stickers of Nicky and Kalluk and plan to make some of Maka that will get distributed to staff.<\/p>\n