Zoo Atlanta’s pregnant elephant dies

Dottie, Zoo Atlanta’s expecting African elephant, died late Monday of unknown causes.

The elephant, which had recently gone into the third trimester of her 24-month pregnancy, was 26.

Zoo Atlanta’s veterinary team, along with the Department of Pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia, will perform a necropsy.

“We are saddened by the sudden loss of Dottie,” Zoo Atlanta President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Kelly said in a prepared statement. “I know our veterinary and animal management team worked diligently to ensure she received the best care and treatment possible.

“This is especially sad for us because Dottie was pregnant with her first calf,” Kelly said. “We will miss her here at Zoo Atlanta.”

Zoo Atlanta officials first became concerned about the elephant’s health Oct. 10 when the animal management and veterinary team noticed her urine was cloudy and she had decreased protein levels in her blood.

On Oct. 21, officials noted she had lost about 800 pounds or about 10 percent of her body weight. They began administering antibiotics the next day.

The elephant was in the third trimester of her first pregnancy. A routine ultrasound as late as Oct. 24 confirmed that Dottie still had a viable pregnancy.