GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — One of the triplets born to Wyatt and Wasabi— John Ball Zoo's red panda mates— died suddenly in Atlanta.
Ruby was born in July of 2020 at John Ball and found a home at Zoo Atlanta with her sister, Rose, in 2023 as part of their shared membership in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The focus of this program is to increase populations of endangered and threatened species and share them with the world.
Her body was found by her care team on March 8. Initial findings show she may have had a mesenteric torsion— an often fatal twisting of the intestines.
“This is a devastating loss for Zoo Atlanta. Our thoughts are with Ruby’s care team who, like all of the Animal Care Teams at Zoo Atlanta, are deeply committed to the animals and devote each day to their superior care and well-being."
—Sam Rivera, DVM, Vice President of Animal Health at Zoo Atlanta
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Zoo Atlanta will lean on their partnership with the Zoo and Exotic Animal Pathology Service at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine for more information on what happened to Ruby.
