Provided Photo
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A beloved animal at a Central New York zoo has died after complications from surgery.
George, a domestic Bactrian camel at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, died at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals following dental surgery earlier this month.
He was being treated for a severe tooth infection when he experienced unexpected complications during recovery, according to the zoo.
Zoo staff worked 12-hour shifts and traveled to Ithaca to provide around-the-clock support for George.
His keepers were with him when he died.
“Every medical procedure involving anesthesia carries a degree of risk, but this outcome was both unexpected and devastating,” Dan Meates, zoo director, said.
“The level of dedication shown by his keepers, who stayed with him around the clock, speaks to the profound bond they shared,” Meates said.
George arrived at the zoo with his older brother Patrick in 2018 and became a key part of education programs, public events and community outreach, the zoo said in a statement.
The zoo noted that while domestic Bactrian camels are common in North American zoos, their wild relatives are one of the world’s most endangered large mammals, with fewer than 1,000 left in the wild.
George helped educate the Syracuse community about conservation and the challenges facing these animals, the zoo added.