Page 33 - Gateways_Summer2023_Neat

t
li
a
in
t
h
e
a
i
b
ic
f
k
d
e
T
g
r
f
a
R
Rehabilitating Trafficked Turtles have been found covered with were comfortable,” said Aitken-Palmer.
mal
s
A
Animals tape that prevents them from pulling “There was a learning curve for us to
n
i
understand how to care for them in
their head and legs out of their shell.
When the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service or Live birds have been found stuffed into an optimal way.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection offers plastic bottles. Examining the animals and
Brookfield Zoo a confiscated animal to care “There is often a pretty big medical bill administering treatment was hampered
for, the Zoo can refuse but rarely does, said and a lot of staff time and intensive care by the species’ skittishness and tendency
Dr. Copper Aitken-Palmer, CZS senior staff involved,” said Aitken-Palmer. “You might to pull into their carapace when spooked.
veterinarian who has provided medical care put in a lot of effort and they don’t One of the tortoises wasn’t eating and
for many of the animals. survive.” The Home’s hingeback tortoises animal hospital staff had to insert a
Caring for confiscated animals is usually that arrived at Brookfield Zoo were in feeding tube to save its life. This is
challenging, she said. The majority of them such poor condition that they were kept common in animals that had experienced
arrive sick and severely weakened and in quarantine for six months while the a lot of stress, said Aitken-Palmer. The
require a lot of care to recover, if they ever Zoo’s veterinary staff cared for them. feeding tube was repeatedly caught and
do. Animal cruelty is common in the wild- The tortoises are native to forested areas pinched in the tortoise’s hinged carapace.
life trade. To avoid drawing the attention of in equatorial Africa that are very moist Confiscated animals are sometimes
authorities, animals are transported without and humid. “It took us a while to figure unfamiliar to Zoo staff. The tiny,
food or water and are often restrained. out how to get the humidity right so they raisin-like creatures sealed in petri dishes
Left: Assisted by veterinary technicians in the Zoo’s animal hospital, Dr. Aitken-Palmer performs a medical procedure on a pangolin.
Below: The most expensive aquarium fish in the world is the Asian arowana. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recovered these
animals and others during “Operation Jungle Book” in the Los Angeles area. Charges were filed against 16 defendants. Credit: USFWS.

33
BROOKFIELD ZOO | SUMMER 2023 33