It’s that time of year when it is customary to reflect upon all that has happened since last year. As I do so with respect to the operations of the A. Watson Armour III Center for Animal Health and Welfare, the first thing that comes to mind is that we enjoyed a healthy year. A salubrious year. Our top priority is always the health and well-being of the animals, so it gives me great pride to know we’re continuously achieving this. With seven Pacific white-sided dolphins and eight beluga whales, we are providing a home to more whales and dolphins than ever before in the history of the aquarium. Our animal health team regularly makes “house calls” to the Abbott Oceanarium for routine check-ups for these marine mammals, and it’s an honor to report they are all thriving in our care. There’s also a dedicated staff of animal trainers who work with these animals on a continuous basis ensuring they receive a daily dose of TLC. Even with decades of hands-on experience studying and caring for cetaceans, we continue to learn new things about them and how they may be impacted by our changing world.
Responding to Animals in Need
We did, of course, see many patients in the hospital over this year but the most challenging medical care provided was not on-site. Some of the most challenging cases were those where our Animal Response Team stepped in to provide vital care to rescued animals. Through the efforts of our rescue and rehabilitation program, we supported our various partners with the direct care of multiple animals in need this year. Applying the knowledge gained from having beluga whales in our facility, our team was able to assist in the relocating of a wayward young whale in Canada to reunite the beluga with his pod. In addition, our marine mammal experts are still currently assisting with the around-the clock care of a stranded beluga calf at Alaska SeaLife Center that required human intervention to give him the best chance at survival, and, with our aquarium colleagues, we continuously track his progress. This past year, the Animal Response Team has also helped rehabilitate two stranded sea otter pups in Alaska, and helped to feed numerous starving Elephant seals, Harbor seals and California sea lions on the West coast.
©Activities pictured are authorized by USFWS COA/MA 73418B
Providing Geriatric Care
A few of the cases that we did see back at home were from age-related conditions that are becoming all the more common as our population adds another year to its lifetime. Since the penguins at Shedd receive regular veterinary care and don’t have to hunt for food, the aquarium has several penguins in their upper 20s – which is considered geriatric. The Animal Health team develops creative solutions to ensure the penguins continue to live comfortably into their golden years.
Dr. Matt O’Connor, Staff Veterinarian at Shedd, and our partners at the local specialty veterinary ophthalmology practice Eye Care for Animals are starting to make cataract removal surgery in older birds look like a routine procedure - which of course it isn’t, but it is becoming more common. This year alone we successfully removed cataracts from three geriatric penguins; Magdalena, Wellington, and Rocky, as well as our Great Horned owl, Logan.
Our partners at the local specialty veterinary ophthalmology practice, Eye Care for Animals, performing a cataract removal surgery on a rockhopper penguin.
Rare Reptile Cases
This year, our Green Anaconda developed a benign cyst near the tail that required surgical removal. Fifteen animal care staff prepared and performed the surgery on the 22-year-old, 15 foot, 150-pound snake that required some specialized handling and equipment like two surgery tables lined up to handle the length! She tolerated the entire process very well and was back in her habitat right after surgery. And another one of our older snakes, a 21-year-old corn snake has joined our growing ranks of cancer survivors at the aquarium. This snake developed a large tumor inside her body next to her kidneys that turned out to be a cancer. Dr. Karisa Tang, our current clinical resident of the Illinois Zoo and Aquatic Animal Residency program, expertly removed the tumor and the team has started the snake on a chemotherapy protocol that involves a weekly dose of medication given in a food item. As I write this update, she has tolerated her chemotherapy very well and there is no doubt we have extended her life by months already.
Overall, Shedd’s entire animal care group practice preventive care every day as we monitor the health and behavior of the animals and report even the slightest changes to our clinical team. This dedication to preventative care is the reason we’ve had a healthy year – not all that different than with people. If you have your regular physical, dental and eye exams it can help keep problems from occurring in the first place or identify any that do occur sooner.
Wishing you all a happy holiday and a healthy new year!