A red stag at the Targu Mures Zoo was found dead last week after suffering a digestive blockage caused by a visitor's glove, zoo spokeswoman Kinga Korondi said on Friday.
"It is to no avail telling visitors not to feed or pet the animals, because it still happens," Korondi told reporters. "We have found coins and other foreign objects in the digestive systems of animals that have died over the years. This deer was healthy when we left it in the evening, but by morning it was no longer alive. A leather glove was found in its digestive tract. It could have been grabbed by mistake while food was offered, or even thrown into the paddock. We hope it wasn't malicious, but ignorance can lead to such unfortunate cases. That visitor should have better told us that they lost a glove, maybe we could have saved that deer, but it didn't happen," Kinga Korondi told the press.
The zoo, which houses 13 deer of several species including axis, fallow and red deer, stressed that the glove could not have come from its caretakers, who use a different type.
Korondi said the incident underscores the importance of respecting zoo rules.
"People can do harm even unintentionally. Everyone thinks of bringing a carrot to a rabbit, but rabbits don't eat carrots, or if they eat too many, they can suffer. Cabbage can harm goats, and popcorn is poison for birds. Every animal matters, and we are very sorry to have lost this deer, because it was a beautiful male with no health issues," Korondi concluded.
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