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Storms kill stressed kangaroos
21/07/2007 22:01 - (SA)
Mexico City - Violent thunderstorms have driven seven distressed kangaroos to death at a Mexican zoo, say veterinarians who are now pampering the remaining three mothers and their babies.
The zoo in the western city of Guadalajara brought the
kangaroos from Texas in April and all went smoothly until last
month when the rainy season began.
Seven kangaroos died over a period of four weeks, most soon
after harsh rain storms.
"They became apathetic in the morning then sad in the
afternoon and by night they could be dead," veterinarian Andrea
Saucedo told Reuters. "We would just be trying to understand
what was happening, when - oops - another."
The kangaroos, shy by nature, have ample food, shelter and
outdoor space to hop at the zoo.
The animals likely were suffering stress from their recent
move but the foul weather, including drastic daily swings in
temperature, probably pushed some over the edge, the zoo
believes.
"The storms weren't continuous," Saucedo said. "They were
the only thing that was coinciding with the deaths."
Heavy rain soaks most of Mexico every June to September,
causing floods and mudslides in many regions.
Hardy in their natural habitat, an estimated 57 million
wild kangaroos live in Australia, nearly three times the human
population. The red kangaroo species at the Guadalajara zoo
comes from arid central Australia.
The three surviving adult kangaroos gave birth just before
arriving at the zoo. The babies, called joeys, have just begun
to poke their heads from their mothers' pouches, said zoo
spokeswoman Danae Vazquez.
Vets in Australia were reluctant to speculate about the
cause of the deaths without seeing the kangaroos and their
environments first-hand.
Richard O'Neill, a safari guide in northwestern Australia,
said the change in weather could have spooked them.
"Any animal, when you change his environment, will feel
stress and that stress can be transmitted throughout the
group," he said on Saturday.
Zoo workers are giving the remaining kangaroos added
attention and vitamins and asking visitors to be extra quiet.
No kangaroos have died in the past three weeks and
zookeepers are optimistic the survivors have adapted to their
new home.
- Reuters
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