Colchester Zoo are very sad to report the death of Ayo the Pygmy Hippo on the evening of 24th November.
On Saturday 20th November, keepers found Colchester Zoo’s Pygmy Hippo ‘Ayo’ flat out in her enclosure in a lethargic and unresponsive state. She was transferred to the zoo’s animal hospital for treatment and was in obvious discomfort. Over the next two days she was treated intensively for colic like symptoms by the zoo’s vet as she was not passing any faeces or eating.
On Monday morning keepers were encouraged by her general behaviour and she had managed to pass some faeces overnight. Ayo was returned to her enclosure and pool so that she could have the company of her mother whilst remaining under close observation by keeping staff. However on Tuesday she still appeared to be showing symptoms of abdominal discomfort despite the treatment plan prescribed by our veterinary surgeon. The decision was made early morning to look at a surgical procedure, a decision not taken lightly in this species. Surgery revealed a very inflamed gut and impacted colon, the zoo’s veterinary surgeons worked hard to remove the impaction during a three and a half hour procedure. She recovered slowly but satisfactorily from the anaesthesia. She remained at the care unit at the surgery for close observation until the following day.
Yesterday keepers went to collect her but on arrival found that she had gone downhill, becoming unresponsive and not wanting to eat or drink. She was kept at the vets who continued to treat her intensively but unfortunately she died late last night.
Curator, Sarah Forsyth commented, “A blocked colon is not uncommon in hippos but it is unknown as to why it happens. Surgery in large herbivores is always risky but at that stage there were no other options and it appears that she was just too unwell to be able to recover. We are all devastated by her loss. Her parents Venus and Freddy have been calling and searching for her over the last few days but do appear a bit more settled today.
Ayo, was the first Pygmy Hippo to be born at Colchester Zoo and was just about to reach a year old. Her death is a very sad lost to Colchester Zoo and the EEP (European Endangered Species) breeding programme that she was a part of.
