Adelaide Zoo has farewelled two long-time residents, 19-year-old Serval Kali and 15-year-old Dusky Leaf-monkey Nakal, after age-related health issues began to affect their quality of life.
Both animals were humanely euthanised following close monitoring and comprehensive veterinary assessments by the keepers and vets who had cared for them for many years.
A much-loved mum
Born at Wellington Zoo in December 2006, Kali arrived at Adelaide Zoo in February 2009 and quickly became a familiar face to visitors and staff. She raised four litters of kittens during her time at the zoo and is remembered by her keepers as an incredibly attentive mother.
In recent months, keepers had been checking Kali’s mobility, weight and general wellbeing daily. When they noticed a decline, a full veterinary health check found arthritis and kidney issues associated with her advancing age.
With these conditions beginning to affect her mobility and comfort, the veterinary and keeping teams made the decision to euthanise Kali this week, before her welfare could deteriorate further.
Adelaide Zoo Director Chad Crittle said Kali had been a deeply loved member of the zoo family.
“Kali was a very special animal and her keepers knew her incredibly well. Because they were monitoring her every day, they picked up the changes in her mobility and condition early, and we were able to investigate,” Chad said.
“She was a wonderful mum to her kittens and has a long history here at Adelaide Zoo. Saying goodbye to an animal you’ve cared for over so many years is never easy, but our responsibility is always to do what’s best for the individual animal.
“While it was an incredibly sad decision, it was the right one for Kali.”
Caring for Nakal through a lifetime of health challenges
Adelaide Zoo has also made the difficult decision to humanely euthanise 15-year-old Dusky Leaf-monkey Nakal following a comprehensive assessment of her ongoing health and welfare needs.
Born at Adelaide Zoo on 23 January 2011, Nakal had experienced longstanding gastrointestinal health issues requiring significant veterinary care throughout her life. More recent complications, together with her advanced age for her species, raised concerns about her ongoing health and future quality of life.
The assessment also considered the loss of her 18-year-old brother and longtime companion Nanti in August, and changes observed in Nakal’s overall behaviour and social wellbeing following his passing.
Adelaide Zoo Director Chad Crittle said the decision followed careful consideration of Nakal’s physical health, social needs, and quality of life.
“Nakal has received exceptional care throughout her life from a team of dedicated keepers and expert veterinarians, but as she grew older we needed to consider the cumulative impact of her health challenges and what her long-term welfare would look like,” Chad said.
“The loss of her brother Nanti was another significant change in her life. Our keepers know Nakal incredibly well, and their observations of her physical health and behaviour were central to understanding her changing needs and informing this decision.”
Putting welfare first
Chad said both decisions reflected the zoo’s approach to making compassionate, evidence-based decisions that prioritise the welfare of individual animals.
“Good animal welfare is much more than just the absence of suffering. It’s about ensuring animals in our care can experience a positive quality of life, and recognising when that may no longer be possible.
“When we assess an animal’s welfare, we look at the whole picture: their health, age, behaviour, social needs and quality of life, now and into the future. We don’t believe an animal should have to reach a point of overt distress or suffering before we act in their best interests.
“These are incredibly hard decisions for the people who know and care for these animals. Kali and Nakal were both deeply loved and will be greatly missed by our staff, volunteers, members and visitors.”
