WTAE DOT COM. TURNING NOW TO THIS, WE TOLD YOU YESTERDAY AT 5:00 ABOUT THE DEATH OF A SEA LION AT THE PITTSBURGH ZOO AND AQUARIUM IN A STATEMENT. ZOO OFFICIALS SAY THE 18 YEAR OLD NAMED SEA HAWK OR HAWK, DIED LAST FRIDAY. THEY SAY HE WAS SEDATED SO THEY COULD DIAGNOSE WHAT WAS BEHIND HIS UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR LATELY, INCLUDING HIS REFUSAL TO EAT FOOD FOR SEVERAL DAYS. AND SHANNON, THAT WAS JUST DAYS AFTER AMRITHA, THE ZOO’S 31 YEAR-OLD SILVERBACK WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA, DIED DURING ANESTHETIC PROCEDURE TO HELP DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF HIS SYMPTOMS, ZOO OFFICIALS SAY THE GORILLA SHOWED MOBILITY PROBLEMS. AND ALSO THIS MONTH, THE ZOO ANNOUNCED THE DEATH OF ELEPHANT CALF SUNI, WHO WAS TWO YEARS OLD AND LIVED WITH A HERD AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION CENTER IN SOMERSET COUNTY. SHE HAD ENDOTHELIOTROPIC HERPESVIRUS, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER CHANDI CHAPMAN TALKED WITH ZOO GUESTS TODAY. I’VE BEEN WORKING ALL DAY LONG TO TRY TO GET ANSWERS FROM ZOO OFFICIALS IN JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, WE LEARNED THAT PITTSBURGH ZOO AND AQUARIUM PLANS ON HAVING INTERVIEWS NEXT WEEK ABOUT THE RECENT DEATHS. NOW, THE LATEST ONE SHUT DOWN THE ZOO FOR A DAY THIS YEAR, FIVE DIFFERENT ANIMALS DIED AT THE PITTSBURGH ZOO AND AQUARIUM. REALLY SAD. REALLY SAD THAT SO MANY ANIMALS DIED. WE HAD PLANNED OUR TRIP TO THE ZOO AND THEN LAST NIGHT WE HEARD ON CHANNEL FOUR THAT IT WAS CLOSED. SO THEN WE PLANNED AN ALTERNATE TRIP. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR HAS BEEN ASKING ZOO OFFICIALS FOR DAYS TO SIT DOWN AND DO AN INTERVIEW, BECAUSE VIEWERS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO US WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING BEYOND THE EXPLANATIONS OF THE DEATHS, I THINK IT’S A SAD REASON I DON’T KNOW WHY THAT THE ANIMALS ARE NOT LIVING. THIS MORNING WE REACHED OUT TO PUBLIC RELATIONS TO GET MORE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND IT WAS THIS AFTERNOON. SECURITY OFFICIALS AT THE ZOO CONTACTED THEM AS WELL. THAT’S WHEN WE FOUND OUT ZOO OFFICIALS WILL BE TALKING PUBLICLY ABOUT THE ANIMAL DEATHS NEXT WEEK. WEDNESDAY, THE ZOO ANNOUNCED THE DEATH OF A SEA LION LAST FRIDAY DURING A ROUTINE SEDATION THE DAY BEFORE AN ELEPHANT CALF DIED OF A SUDDEN BRIEF ILLNESS ON FEBRUARY 1ST, A 31 YEAR OLD GORILLA DIED. ALSO. ALSO UNDER SEDATION. THREE DEATHS JUST THIS MONTH, MAKING FIVE IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS, THE ZOO ANNOUNCED LAST JULY AND AUGUST. THE DEATHS OF AN AFRICAN LION AND A RED PANDA, BOTH AFTER MEDICAL ISSUES AND PROCEDURES. SOME VISITORS SAY THEY’RE STILL GOING TO THE ZOO, BUT THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE. WE’VE GOT TO SEE SOME BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS, WE SAW THE ELEPHANTS AND THE GIRAFFES AND THE SEA LIONS AND REALLY PLAYFUL THAT SOME OF THE GORILLAS WERE REALLY PLAYFUL AND SO IT WAS GOOD. BUT IT’S SAD TO SEE THAT ANIMALS ARE DYING IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. NOW. WE’LL KEEP YOU. UPDATED ON THAT INTERVIEW THAT THE ZOO PLANS TO HAVE NEXT WEEK REPORTING OUTSIDE OF THE PITTSBURGH ZOO A
Pittsburgh Zoo staying tight lipped, for now, on recent animal deaths
Updated: 4:10 PM EST Feb 24, 2024
The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium has dealt with the recent deaths of several animals. Three deaths were reported just this month. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 had reached out to zoo officials asking for a sit-down interview for days because viewers have been reaching out to us, wanting to learn more about the explanations of the deaths. “We had planned our trip to the zoo, and then last night we heard on Channel 4 that it was closed, so then we planned an alternate trip,” zoo visitor Terri Modic said. On Thursday, we reached out to the zoo’s public relations office. Later this afternoon, security officials at the zoo contacted them as well. That’s when we found out zoo officials will be talking publicly about the animal deaths next week.On Wednesday, the zoo announced the death of a sea lion last Friday during a routine sedation.The day before, an elephant calf died of a sudden, brief illness. On Feb. 1, a 31-year-old gorilla died, also while under sedation.Three deaths came just this month, making five total deaths in the last seven months.The zoo announced last July and August the deaths of an African lion and a red panda, both after medical issues and procedures.Some visitors say they are still going to the zoo, but they want to know more.”We got to see some beautiful animals,” Jennifer Ahn said. “We saw the elephants and the giraffes and the sea lions, and some of the gorillas were really playful, so it was good, but it’s sad to see that animals are dying in such a short amount of time.”
The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium has dealt with the recent deaths of several animals. Three deaths were reported just this month.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 had reached out to zoo officials asking for a sit-down interview for days because viewers have been reaching out to us, wanting to learn more about the explanations of the deaths.
“We had planned our trip to the zoo, and then last night we heard on Channel 4 that it was closed, so then we planned an alternate trip,” zoo visitor Terri Modic said.
On Thursday, we reached out to the zoo’s public relations office. Later this afternoon, security officials at the zoo contacted them as well. That’s when we found out zoo officials will be talking publicly about the animal deaths next week.
On Wednesday, the zoo announced the death of a sea lion last Friday during a routine sedation.
The day before, an elephant calf died of a sudden, brief illness. On Feb. 1, a 31-year-old gorilla died, also while under sedation.
Three deaths came just this month, making five total deaths in the last seven months.
The zoo announced last July and August the deaths of an African lion and a red panda, both after medical issues and procedures.
Some visitors say they are still going to the zoo, but they want to know more.
“We got to see some beautiful animals,” Jennifer Ahn said. “We saw the elephants and the giraffes and the sea lions, and some of the gorillas were really playful, so it was good, but it’s sad to see that animals are dying in such a short amount of time.”