ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The Saint Louis Zoo says the first male Asian elephant born there in 27 years died from two significant, irreversible birth abnormalities.
A necropsy – an autopsy report on animals – determined that an opening between the two major blood vessels leading from Avi's heart, which normally closes around the time of birth, never did.
Avi also had an abnormal spinal conformation, that limited his ability to raise his head, and position himself to feed on his own.
The zoo says surgical correction was not possible for either condition.
"Comforted by the rest of the Zoo’s elephant family, Avi’s mother, Rani, is in good health and is receiving excellent care by the Zoo’s Elephant Care Team of keepers and veterinarians," the Zoo stated in a press release. "The Zoo wishes to express its sincere thanks to everyone for their support and thoughts."
Avi was euthanized on August 2 at the age of 27 days.
There was hope for him in the first couple of weeks of his life. On July 10 the Zoo posted a message, saying the calf – yet to be named – was "getting stronger" and asked supporters to keep him and the family "in your thoughts."
The Zoo’s 27-year-old bull elephant Raja is the father. He was the first Asian elephant ever born at the Zoo in 1992, and this calf is his fifth offspring.
The mother, Rani, is part of a 10-member, three-generation elephant family that includes her new calf, Ellie (mother), Maliha, Jade (daughter), Priya, Donna, Sri, Pearl and Raja at the Zoo’s River’s Edge and Elephant Woods habitats. Rani and Ellie arrived at the Saint Louis Zoo in 2001 from the Jacksonville Zoo, where Rani was born in 1996.