El Paso Zoo Considers Changes to Gazelle Exhibit

The El Paso Zoo is considering changes to the Upper Savannah exhibit in the Africa section of the Zoo due to incidents that happened in the last six months.

Zoo staff is addressing the incidents that involve the Zoo’s Thomson’s gazelles who are currently housed in a multi-species exhibit with giraffes and kudu. Although different circumstances took place, the deaths resulted from injuries while animals were moved in and out of their barns. The most recent gazelle death occurred on December 16, 2015.

Animal welfare is the El Paso Zoo’s top priority but according to Zoo Director, Steve Marshall, even thou the though the deaths were not directly related, Zoo staff believe these incidents may be caused by the changing dynamic of the growing size of the herd or possibly due to gazelles that are young and inexperienced in the exhibit.

Zoo animal care staff will continue to work on determining the problem and will continue to make changes, as needed, to protect the gazelles.