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Disney World elephant dies of infection

By Amy C. Rippel | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted May 15, 2005

An elephant whose calf died in its womb last month at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom died Saturday from a uterine infection, a company spokeswoman said.

Ibala, a 26-year-old African elephant and a first-time mother, went into labor in late April after a 22-month gestation period. After several hours, Ibala's labor stalled and veterinarians determined her calf had died. The calf was to stay inside the mother until she expelled it, said Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak.

This week, veterinarians determined Ibala was continuing to have contractions in an attempt to expel the calf. On Friday, veterinarians performed an emergency episiotomy and removed the baby elephant. Hours later, Ibala died, Polak said.

A necropsy determined she died from endotoxic shock, a severe infection of the uterus and abdominal cavity, Polak said.

Polak said the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which monitors and regulates zoo animals, had been contacted about the death but it was unclear Saturday if an investigation will be conducted.

Ibala came to Animal Kingdom in 1997 from the Phoenix Zoo. She became pregnant through artificial insemination on July 24, 2003.

"This is a sad day, not only for those who have been working tirelessly with this elephant, but also for everyone at the Walt Disney World Resort who have been following Ibala's progress over the past year," said Beth Stevens, vice president of Disney's Animal Kingdom. "We look for comfort in the fact that scientists and veterinarians have learned a great deal from Ibala to benefit other elephants in wildlife parks and in the wild."

In past years, there have been successful elephant births at Animal Kingdom. In July, a 230-pound female elephant named Kianga was born. And in May 2003, a male elephant named Tufani was born.

Animal Kingdom's elephant-breeding program is part of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's species-survival plan. Association members work together to breed 125 species to maintain their population in an effort to reduce the number of animals taken from the wild.

Amy C. Rippel can be reached at arippel@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5736.