Meerkats die at Philadelphia Zoo following exposure to unknown toxin from ID dye
The meerkats were named Nkosi, Lula, Nya, Kgala, and Ari and came to the zoo as a group of siblings in 2013. Zoo officials said they use dye to mark the animals so they can differentiate between them, but sadly the toxin in the dye led to their death.
Thursday 15 June 2023 09:28, UK
Five meerkats have died mysteriously at a Philadelphia zoo after being exposed to an unknown toxin from a dye used to mark the animals.
Officials have said the animals became sick and died within less than a month.
The meerkats - named Nkosi, Lula, Nya, Kgala, and Ari - came to the zoo as a group of siblings in 2013.
As a way of differentiating the animals, zoo officials use dye to mark them, according to Rachel Metz, the zoo's vice president of animal well-being.
She said the zoo has been using the same dye - called Nyanzol-D - for more than three decades without incident.
"So the question is what is the difference that caused these animals' deaths," she added.
"We've been implementing a robust internal and external fact-finding mission."
What happened to the meerkats?
The dye was used on the meerkats 1 June , and shortly after, one of them was found dead about 30 minutes later, officials said.
The four others started showing signs of acute illness minutes later, so veterinary staff anesthetised them and started to pump their stomachs.
As efforts continued to try to save the meerkats, within 36 hours, three of the meerkats died.
The last one died on Monday night after being under medical supervision for more than a week.
The zoo is conducting a detailed investigation and noted that necropsy results are pending.
Speaking to Philadelphia ABC affiliate Action News, Ms Metz said the staff are "devastated" following the news.
She added: "Our staff spend more time with these animals than they do with their own families or even their pets at home.
"So there's a real legitimate bond they feel with the animals, and obviously, they're devastated right now."
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Philadelphia Zoo is known to be "America's first zoo" and is home to more than 1,700 rare and endangered animals, according to its website.
Meerkats are not threatened or considered to be endangered creatures.
They reside in the deserts and grasslands of the southern tip of Africa and are extremely social animals.