The Minnesota Zoo has euthanized two female muskoxen sickened by rising temperatures in this region in the far north of the United States.

Officials of the establishment justified their decision on Thursday in a press release.

They evoke "several problems related to age which have combined with the heat of spring and summer".

The decision was taken in April after "long discussions between veterinarians, trainers and zoo management," says

The Independent

.

All considered it to be "the most humanistic choice when it comes to a point where it is no longer possible to manage clinical health problems".

(1/2) It's with heavy hearts we say goodbye to musk oxen at the MN Zoo.

Our two remaining elderly musk oxen had been showing progressive age-related health issues;

their health further declined this spring as the weather warmed.

Read More: https://t.co/baW5NhZ9yQ pic.twitter.com/UryqOAFFmA

- Minnesota Zoo (@mnzoo) May 14, 2021

A species weakened in recent years

The problems attributed to warming temperatures first appeared about ten years ago.

Muskoxen, native to the arctic tundra, began to be affected by the climate.

Management then chose to stop breeding this species, which has been present in the zoo since it opened in 1978. A total of 65 calves of this breed were born at the Minnesota Zoo.

The warming has decimated the herd over the years.

The euthanized animals were the last two representatives of the species still living at the zoo.

The area they occupied will now accommodate a group of wild Asian horses.

“We have a responsibility to these animals,” said Taylor Yaw, head of the zoo's veterinary service.

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  • Animals

  • Global warming

  • Planet

  • United States

  • Temperature

  • Euthanasia

  • Beef

  • Zoo