Lehigh Valley Zoo mourns loss of Leena, beloved camel
Staff at the Lehigh Valley Zoo are mourning the loss of one of their beloved animals.
Leena, the zoo’s 27-year-old matriarch dromedary camel, was euthanized on May 28 after zookeepers noticed she was having trouble walking around her exhibit due to arthritis.
“Leena’s condition was monitored closely through quality of life and welfare assessments. When her arthritis progressed to the point where treatment could no longer provide enough relief or comfort, LV Zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams made the difficult decision to euthanize her on Saturday afternoon,” the facility said in a release.
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Leena arrived at Lehigh Valley Zoo in 1997 from Virginia and spent her years living with her daughter Baby, 23, who was born at the zoo in 1999.
Staff say they are keeping a close eye on Baby as she adjusts to living on her own.
Leena’s passing comes a little over a year after the zoo announced the heartbreaking news over the death of its 20-year-old Masai giraffe, Murphy.
Murphy, 20, had age-related health ailments that his animal care team had been monitoring for several years.
A new giraffe, Joshua, arrived at the facility in May. He joins Tatu, who has lived at the zoo since 2017.
Guests can visit Baby, Joshua, Tatu, and other animals during the zoo’s daytime summer hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 5150 Game Preserve Road, Schnecksville. For info, go to lvzoo.org
This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Lehigh Valley Zoo mourning loss of Leena, a 27-year-old camel
