Page 11 - Bookfield Zoo Chicago Annual Report 2024

Pioneering Prenatal Care

FOR GIRAFFES

th
After experiencing two miscarriages Kinda is the 60 giraffe born at the
in 2021 and 2022, Arnieta [r-NEE-tah], Zoo since 1940 and Arnieta’s second
Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s 16-year- calf. She is 7-year-old sire Ato’s first
old reticulated giraffe, gave birth to a offspring. The pairing of Arnieta and
healthy female calf in August. She has Ato was based on a recommendation
been named Kinda [KIN-duh], which from the Association of Zoos and
has Swahili and Arabic origins and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival
means “beautiful.” The successful Plan® (SSP), a cooperative population
birth followed months of monitoring management program for select
and innovative prenatal care by the species in AZA-accredited zoos and
dedicated veterinary and animal care aquariums. Each plan manages the
RETICULATED
staff at Brookfield Zoo Chicago along breeding of a species to maintain a GIRAFFE
with assistance from reproductive healthy and self-sustaining popula-
Habitat Africa!
experts at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo tion that is both genetically diverse ANIMAL
and Aquarium. and demographically stable. HEALTH
Believing Arnieta’s previous miscar- Reticulated giraffes, most of 2023
INDIVIDUAL
riages were possibly related to a lack which are found in northern Kenya, STATISTICS LAB SAMPLES
of hormone production and/or an are listed as “Endangered” by the ANALYZED (BLOOD,
infection, they borrowed knowledge International Union for Conservation FECAL, URINE)
from both animal and human medi- of Nature and Natural Resources 4,144 CLINICAL-NOTE
FOR 879
cine to create an innovative medical (IUCN). The knowledge learned ENTRIES IN
INDIVIDUAL
plan. Four months into her 15-month from Arnieta’s case will help ANIMALS MEDICAL RECORDS
pregnancy, Arnieta was started on a other zoological experts expand 21,700 RECORDS
FOR 1,896
regimen of a liquid synthetic proges- prenatal care for her species, INDIVIDUAL
terone mixed in beet pulp to help her as well as other species that have DIAGNOSTIC ANIMALS
IMAGING STUDIES
hormone levels stay intact, and pro- complications during pregnancies.
PERFORMED
phylactic antibiotics placed between (CT, ULTRASOUND, EXAMS
PERFORMED
leaf lettuce or kale to prevent infec- X-RAYS) UNDER ANESTHESIA
tion. Arnieta was trained for voluntary 1068 727
blood and urine collection, which were PRESCRIPTIONS FOR 452
FILLED
key to monitoring her pregnancy over TESTS INDIVIDUAL
5,409 ANIMALS
the last few months. PROCESSED
FOR 640 BY BZC INTERNAL
INDIVIDUAL VETERINARY LAB
ANIMALS
29,603
ANNUAL REPORT 2023 7