White lion from Siegfried & Roy act dies during surgery at Toledo Zoo

 

TOLEDO, Ohio --

A white lion on loan from the Siegfried & Roy animal and magic act has died after undergoing a medical procedure at the Toledo Zoo.

Zoo officials announced Friday that 14-year-old Legend died after being immobilized for an hour to allow veterinarians to treat problems with one of its paws. Legend went into cardiac and respiratory arrest after being removed from anesthesia.

A zoo veterinarian says in a statement that while there are risks whenever anesthesia is administered, the procedure was necessary for Legend's quality of life. A necropsy will be performed to determine a cause of death.

The zoo has one other white lion, Legend's 14-year-old brother Courage. The pair came to the zoo in 2003. A white lion named Wisdom died during surgery at the zoo in 2013.

The Toledo Zoo is saddened to report that Legend, one of two white lions on loan from Siegfried & Roy, died today following a diagnostic procedure.
Recently, keepers noticed Legend exhibiting front left leg lameness. He was immobilized today to allow veterinary staff to determine the source of discomfort. The white lion was stable throughout the procedure, including an ultrasound of the heart which indicated no obvious issues. When the procedure concluded, Legend was removed from anesthesia. While still on oxygen, he suddenly went into cardiac and respiratory arrest. The veterinary staff worked quickly to revive the lion but were ultimately unsuccessful. Legend was 14 years old. This is a tremendous loss.
The Toledo Zoo is home to Legend’s brother, Courage, who is 14 and will continue to reside in Tembo Trail.