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Last week, “Koda,” a 13-year-old male cheetah, received a thorough wellness exam as part of the Animal Health Department’s preventative medicine program.
After being immobilized in an off-exhibit habitat, the 110-pound cat was transported to the Animal Hospital where he underwent a series of procedures that included radiographs, an ultrasound, endoscopy, and dental cleaning. Dr. Luis Macho, a veterinary internal medicine specialist from Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Davie, Florida, assisted Zoo Miami veterinarians and donated his expertise in performing the ultrasound and endoscopy procedures. In addition, blood and urine samples were collected. All the initial results indicate that Koda is in good health, and he has since recovered from the immobilization.
Koda was born at the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Center in South Africa on March 6, 2012, and arrived at Zoo Miami on November 29th that same year. For over a decade, Koda served as a special ambassador for cheetahs making regular appearances at Zoo Miami’s amphitheater programs as well as special presentations off grounds to promote cheetah conservation. Thanks in large part to his contributions, Zoo Miami has provided well over $100,000 to conservation efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa.
At 13 years of age, Koda is an old cheetah. In the wild, cheetahs generally live between 8-10 years. Under human care, that lifespan can be extended to 12 – 15 years. Because of his advanced age, Koda has retired from making regular appearances and now resides in an off-exhibit habitat where he enjoys a more relaxed environment while still receiving excellent care as part of Zoo Miami’s lifetime commitment to him. However, he can still be occasionally seen as part of the rotation of animals that are featured in the new ambassador habitats adjacent to the Sami Amphitheater.
As Zoo Miami ages, so do many of the animals that have resided here throughout their lives. Though Koda is presently in good health with only some minor geriatric issues, we know that because of his advanced age, every day with him is a gift. The special care Koda receives reflects the commitment that Zoo Miami has to caring for the many animals that have met or exceeded their normal lifespan presently living at the zoo and often fighting the many challenges related to advanced age. That profound dedicated commitment to providing the best possible care to all the zoo’s residents often enables them to live an extended good quality of life that would not have been possible in the wild.
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