Houston Zoo mourns loss of Traci the giant anteater

HOUSTON – The Houston Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its inhabitants.

Traci, a 1.5-year-old giant anteater, was humanely euthanized Friday after battling an unknown serious medical condition, the zoo announced in a release.

In June, the zoo’s animal care experts noticed Traci’s weight had plateaued, and he was no longer gaining weight as he should at his age. A veterinary team conducted a diagnostic exam which confirmed the anteater was anemic and small in stature given his age. In July, Traci began losing his hair. Though further exams were performed, veterinarians could not offer a definitive diagnosis of Traci’s condition, according to a release.

In late August, Traci received a blood transfusion to treat his anemia. The veterinary team ran additional blood tests and took biopsies of Traci’s skin and colon to no avail, according to a release.

“We assembled the best animal medical team we could for Traci,” said Lisa Marie Avendano, vice president of animal operations at the Houston Zoo. “We hope this extensive research will help us learn more about giant anteaters and can help animals like Traci in the future.”

Traci was born on March 31, 2020 to mom, Olive, and dad, Pablo. He was often seen clinging to his mother’s back, Houston Zoo staff wrote in the release.

“Traci will be missed by the entire Zoo family,” the release concluded.