LANSING - Willow, Potter Park Zoo's female Alaskan moose, died Friday after suddenly falling ill.
Zoo staff found the 5-year-old animal down and unable to get up around 8 a.m., said Amy Morris, executive director of the Potter Park Zoological Society.
Veterinarians were unable to determine what was ailing her, and staff "made the excruciating decision to euthanize," Morris said.
"It’s a very sad day," Morris said. "We want people to understand how much we will miss her. She was a very important animal at Potter Park Zoo."
Zoo Director Cynthia Wagner said in a news release that "all possible treatments were attempted" to save Willow before staff decided to end her suffering.
“The zoo team is deeply saddened by this tragic and unexpected loss,” Wagner said. “Willow was an incredible ambassador for her species and was loved by all who visited Potter Park Zoo. She will be deeply missed by our team.”
Willow was born in the wild in Alaska and became separated from her mother. She was still being bottle-fed when she came to Potter Park Zoo in 2013.
Meeko, a male moose who had also been orphaned in Alaska, joined her in Lansing the following year. The zoo's moose exhibit opened in June 2016.
A necropsy will be done at Michigan State University to determine what caused Willow's illness. Results could take several weeks, officials said.
Willow appeared to be healthy until Friday morning, and Meeko is "fine," Morris said.
"We are all just flabbergasted," she said. "This was a young, healthy animal, and she was just adored by staff and the people who visited the zoo. She was a rescue from Alaska, so she had kind of a high profile here."
Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.
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