Siamang death investigation complete
 

A cause of death has finally been determined for the siamang couple—Ziggy, 15, and Sue Ann, 9—who died April 4, 2007.

They died of acute systemic shock from Escherichia coli (E. coli) septicemia.

E. coli bacteria are part of the normal bacteria found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of humans, mammals and some birds. Escherichia coli bacteria typically stay in the GI tract unless introduced into other sites of the body or are of a type that possesses specialized virulence factors allowing the bacteria to move from the GI tract into the body.  Laboratory testing showed the E. coli found in the siamangs is NOT the type that causes gastrointestinal disease outbreaks reported in people (such as E. coli 0157:H7 and related shiga toxin producing E. coli).

“The exact source of the E. coli found in the siamangs is very difficult to identify,” Louisville Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Roy Burns said. “It could have come from their own gastrointestinal tract, from other animals, people or food. We will never know.”

Burns said because of the siamangs’ sudden death, toxins were initially investigated as the possible cause, but tests on food samples and post mortem tissue samples identified no toxins.

“We then began to look at other potential causes of death,” Burns said, “and we found the same strain of E. coli in both the animals in areas where it shouldn’t have been such as the brain, pericardium, and lungs.”

 “It is definitely frustrating not knowing where the bacteria came from,” Burns said. “The death of these siamangs was like a ‘perfect storm’ with the combination of the siamangs’ susceptibility to the bacteria and the number and type of bacteria present to cause disease. The siamangs had no chronic disease and were well cared for.”

Even though the case is now closed on the cause of the death for the pair, the Zoo staff is still mourning the loss.

 

BACKGROUND

The siamang pair had a son, Zoli, born Feb. 20.

The night of April 3 the pair and their newborn were fine when staff checked on them—active, bright, alert and eating well. The next morning, April 4, staff discovered the two had died. Zoo veterinary staff, assisted by Dr. Barbara Weakley-Jones (a leading local pathologist from the State Medical Examiner’s office), performed post mortem exams and collected and tested diagnostic samples.

Initial histopathology results revealed the siamang pair died suddenly, with no signs of any particular organ system being diseased. The next step was to prioritize additional testing of the diagnostic samples collected and focus on causes of death that are of an acute nature that would affect the adults and not the infant.

 

BABY UPDATE

• Sungai (pronounced SOON-gai), who arrived from the San Francisco Zoo last August, weighs 9.5 pounds. She is bottle fed two times a day.

• Zoli, the offspring of Ziggy and Sun Ann, just celebrated his first birthday on    Feb. 20. He weighs 6.8 pounds and is bottle fed three times a day.

• Zain arrived in Louisville July 12 from Albuquerque Biological Park and is the biological younger brother of Sungai. He weighs about 5.35 pounds and is bottle fed three times a day.

“They love to play together and have the best time in the world,” said Louisville Zoo Supervisor of Animal Training Jane Anne Franklin.

      On most afternoons, from 2 to 4 p.m., the babies can be seen in the Islands inside Dayroom.

Siamangs, a tree-dwelling ape native to Southeast Asia, are the top trapeze artists of the animal world. They can swing across formidable gaps between branches, launching themselves 30-50 feet, using their hands as hooks. The siamang family was located in the Louisville Zoo’s Islands Exhibit.

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The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). For more information, visit www.louisvillezoo.org.

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