Samson the lion from the Hai-Kef zoo in Rishon Lezion, Israel, who had undergone a brain operation – unique in the world -- at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has recuperated and has returned to his cage and to his sister, Delilah.
 | | Samson the lion, showing some of his old feistiness after his operation. (Petnet photo) |
“The meeting between Samson and his sister Delilah was joyous and emotional,†said the director of the zoo, Bezalel Porath. “Samson now has many visitors. We also received letters from kindergartens and telephone calls from many who inquired about his welfare. I want to thank the entire staff of the veterinary Hospital of the Hebrew University for their wonderful work.â€
Dr. Merav Shamir, a specialist in veterinary neurology and neurosurgery, who diagnosed Samson’s medical problem and operated on him, said: “Samson’s illness was brought to my attention after symptoms of damage to his nervous system appeared. I was asked to carry out a neurological examination. I saw that he stood on his legs with difficulty. When he tried to walk, he fell after a few steps. He also had no appetite and appeared generally to be in poor condition. I diagnosed that Samson was suffering from damage to the posterior portion of his skull, which applied pressure on his cerebellum and the upper sector of the spinal chord.â€
This type of damage is known to occur in lions living in captivity and is expressed in abnormal skull growth, exerting pressure on the rear portion of the brain, said Dr. Shamir. A CT exam confirmed that the lion was indeed suffering from a serious distortion of the rear portion of his skull and subsequent brain pressure.
According to veterinary medicine literature, this situation is caused due to a vitamin A deficiency. Even though lions in captivity, (including those at the Rishon Lezion zoo) receive vitamin supplements in their food daily, the symptoms that Samson suffered appear, although rarely, among these animals. In all of the previous cases of this type, the animal died due to the disease, either because of the lack of proper medical treatment or because of imprecise diagnosis. In most of the cases, the nature of the problem was revealed with certainty only after death.
“We decided to carry out this operation that had never before been performed anywhere,†said Dr. Shamir.
After the operation, the lion was taken for recovery to his heated enclosure in the Rishon Lezion zoo. Under the care of the zoo’s veterinarian, Dr. Limor Miara, and the animal’s caretaker, he was able to again stand on his legs. Even on the first day after the operation one could already see an observable improvement in his situation. Samson began to walk steadily, without stumbling, and one could hardy see traces of his previous illness. During the following ten days he received intensive care from the zoo staff, which included special food, antibiotic medicine, vitamin supplements and other “special treatment.â€
“The results as they look today are more than we could have expected,†said Dr. Shamir. “Samson is walking around as a fully healthy lion, and our final worry is that the impressive mane which covered his head before the operation will return and cover any traces of our surgical work.†Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
Sarah90 March 23rd, 2005 - 4:25 AM
Not sure how this will be received...I understand that creatures need to be saved in our world...but, can't cope with the fact that these magnificent animals are...caged...to be saved ? I know I know...many species are dying...and many are tagged so we know how they are...but I question this...Is it because we want to have control ? ...or is it because we 'feel responsible' ...or, what ? | Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
greenleaf1 March 23rd, 2005 - 12:44 PM
This statement:
This type of damage is known to occur in lions living in captivity makes me think - there's got to be a better way... | Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
Astronuc March 23rd, 2005 - 12:50 PM
Imagine if one had to spend everyday in one's own home, never to go outside, or even one was confined to one's room for 30 years. That is what a caged animal faces it's entire life.
Wild animals need wild places, with 10's or 100's of square miles to roam.
Hey, that's what I need too.  | Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
Orstio March 23rd, 2005 - 5:06 PM
Wild animals need wild places, with 10's or 100's of square miles to roam.
I have trouble with the term "wild animals". What differentiates a wild animal from any other sort of animal?
Is it the fact that if it were not caged, it could be potentially dangerous to humans? If not, then could we not say a goldfish is just as wild an animal as a lion?
The term "wild" when referring to animals is a human-created paradigm. I do not believe that horses, dogs, cats, sheep, bears, goats, chickens, pigs, lions, rabbits, elephants, emus, elk, or zebras really care for our distinction of what is "wild" and what is not.
That said, I do believe that all animals, including humans, need a suitable environment in order to survive. The suitability depends on each animal individually, however, not on a human-created paradigm. | Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
Astronuc March 23rd, 2005 - 6:21 PM
The world needs human-free zones, where the animals can roam for miles without human contact. 
I think it would be cool to designate half of Western Australia as non-human refuge and have a reserve for cats like cheetahs and leopards, with their natural prey, e.g. small antelope. | Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
Orstio March 23rd, 2005 - 7:08 PM
That's not the case with all animals. Raccoons, for example, seem to thrive in urban and suburban human communities. Groups of black bears have been known to live quite well near or even in urban human communities. There is a species of swallow called the barn swallow that has completely adapted to life with humans: They will not build their nests on anything but a man-made structure. Here in Manitoba, the white-tail deer over-populate and starve to death without the careful conservation in the form of the annual hunting season.
Human influence is inevitable, and not always detrimental. It is important to remember that we are just as much a part of the environment as everything else. There are animals (particularly the big cats) that would certainly benefit from less human influence, but there is another side to the coin as well. | Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
Astronuc March 23rd, 2005 - 7:17 PM
We see that here too.
We had a moose swimming down the river. It apparently came from Vermont.
Then we had a yearling black bear show up in the city. Of course, the police panicked and shot the bear. There aren't too many black bears around here anymore.
We also have over-population of deer.
And the skunks, possums and racoons seem to do quite well.
It's definitely not like it used to be. | Re: Recovered King Of Beasts Returns To His Home, Thanks To Unique Operation
Sarah90 March 25th, 2005 - 11:57 PM
"What differentiates a wild animal from any other sort of animal?"Â ... one that runs free in its own place without intervention.
"That said, I do believe that all animals, including humans, need a suitable environment in order to survive. The suitability depends on each animal individually, however, not on a human-created paradigm."
That's the one ! Regardless of those creatures that have become ...accustomed to human closeness... those that have constant intervention in the name of 'save the species' - which - understood, thousands of species of animals, birds, insects, are lost every minute...However, the question is: how much human intervention is actually necessary, and how much is 'control' , as in 'capture and ...put under a microscope for our own (human ) need to understand who we are and how to survive.  (Am not wording this very well...it's evolving as I'm trying to understand my own question...  )
|
 (9) Comments posted about this in the forum
|
Science Books 
