In Almaty Zoo, a white bear named Tom passed away after being transferred from the Prague Zoo. The director of the Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek, is now demanding an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the animal's death.
Miroslav Bobek took to social media to express his concerns. According to him, Tom, the white bear, was relocated to Almaty based on the recommendation of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) to improve breeding conditions for him. Tom passed away on March 28 without showing any signs of illness. The transportation to Almaty was reported to have gone smoothly. However, subsequent reports received from Almaty indicated that everything was fine with the bear.
The director of the Prague Zoo mentioned that they did not receive any further information from their colleagues in Almaty, leaving their questions unanswered.
A message from Almaty delivered the unfortunate news of Tom's death on May 4. The autopsy revealed that the bear died due to body intoxication caused by chronic purulent inflammation in the frontal and nasal cavities, leading to a blockage of the nasal passages with mucus and necrotic substances, resulting in brain swelling. This was a prolonged illness, and the bear was already sick when he arrived from the Almaty Zoo. The autopsy was conducted by an independent expert, a professor from the Department of Pathological Anatomy at the Research Institute. All autopsy photos are available, and the materials will be sent to the Prague Zoo and the EEP committee.
Miroslav Bobek expressed his confusion as to why the Almaty Zoo kept this news hidden from them for 18 days. They are now demanding a thorough investigation into Tom's death and will address their concerns to the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Kazakhstan, and the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Prague.
Recently, the Almaty Zoo released a statement emphasizing the importance of adhering to safety rules for all visitors.
