Concerns for the health of the Tierpark’s West Indian manatee Lisa (31) were already growing last November. Despite intensive treatment, Lisa’s condition deteriorated so severely in recent days that, on Monday morning, the decision was made to put her down. At 31 years of age, the female manatee was fairly elderly – the maximum life expectancy of a manatee is between 30 and 45.
Over the past few weeks, Tierpark vets and specialists at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) have been examining and treating Lisa on a regular basis. Her condition initially seemed to stabilise, but a few days ago her health started deteriorating rapidly. This was down to age-related decline in the manatee’s kidney, heart and lung function.
“As we saw no possibility of Lisa’s health improving, the only foreseeable outcome was prolonged suffering,” explains veterinarian and Tierpark Director Dr Andreas Knieriem. “It is our duty to spare her unnecessary pain, so we took the difficult decision to put her down.”
Lisa arrived at Tierpark Berlin from Nuremberg in 1995. Two male manatees still live at the Tierpark: Humboldt (35) and Columbus (28). Berlin and Nuremberg are the only places in Germany where manatees can be seen.
