Bacterial blood infection cited as cause of death of Peterborough zoo camel Gobi

Officials at Peterborough’s Riverview Park and Zoo say the sudden death of one its camels was caused by a bacterial infection of the blood.

Gobi the Bactrian camel died suddenly on March 23, shocking staff and regular visitors who loved the 10-year-old male camel.

His remains were sent to the Animal Health Laboratory at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph for determination of the cause of death, zoo officials said.

On Friday, the municipally run zoo stated that after “an extensive examination, comprehensive testing and analysis”, it was been determined that Gobi’s death was the result of peracute septicemia.

“This can be described as a sudden and overwhelming bacterial infection of the blood,” the zoo stated.

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The zoo thanked the veterinary medicine team at the Guelph college along with Dr. Davor Ojkic, Dr. Kristiina Ruotsalo, Dr. Durda Slavic, and Dr. Emily Brouwer, as well as its consulting veterinarian Dr. John Sallaway for their “commitment to providing an accurate diagnosis for the cause of Gobi’s death.”

Gobi arrived to the zoo in 2009 from the Elmvale Zoo.

Following Gobi’s death, visitors brought cards, posters and flowers and placed them outside the camel display which includes female Bactrian camels Zaya and Baika.

WATCH: (March 2018) Riverview Park and Zoo introduces new camel Baika

0:39 Riverview Park and Zoo introduces new camel Baika