AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Zoo announced on Tuesday that its elderly capybara, Atlantis, died over the weekend following a decline in her health condition.
After recognizing the decline, the zoo’s vet staff performed a full exam, which revealed several abnormalities due to age-related conditions. The zoo said it made the difficult decision to euthanize her on Saturday, Oct. 22.
“We are heartbroken at the loss of Atlantis. She will be missed by all the staff at the Akron Zoo, along with her many fans,” said Shelley Orloski, career pathways manager at the Akron Zoo and Capybara Species Survival Plan program leader for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “While the SSP makes breeding recommendations for capybaras, our primary goal is the health and wellbeing of every individual animal. Atlantis had let us know over the years that she preferred to be solitary. I’m grateful to the Akron Zoo for making every accommodation for Atlantis and for embracing the spunky capybara for who she was as an individual.”
Atlantis was 10 years old, which exceeds the average life expectancy for capybaras, which is around 8.6 years, according to the zoo. She was born on Sept. 6, 2012 at the Little Rock Zoo in Arkansas. She made the move to the Akron Zoo in August 2014.
As an accredited facility through AZA, the Akron Zoo participates in the Capybara SSP. The SSP is a scientifically managed breeding program that promotes genetic diversity in endangered species. Atlantis was well known to Akron Zoo guests for her unique personality as a capybara who enjoyed her alone time.
