Racine Zoo says goodbye to Chanbai, its Amur tiger

From The Journal Times.com:

Milana Doné

RACINE — A tiger at the Racine Zoo died July 26, outliving the average lifespan of her wild counterparts.

Changbai the Amur tiger was born at the Philadelphia Zoo on May 24, 2007, making her 19 at the time of her passing. Wild Amur tigers generally live between 10 and 15 years.

She lived at the Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut and the Columbus Zoo in Ohio before residing in Wisconsin. In Columbus, Changbai was featured in the National Geographic program, "Secrets of the Zoo."

Changbai came to the Racine Zoo in 2023.

According to a news release from the zoo, the carnivore team will remember her strong will, fierce independence, stunning beauty and elegance. She could often be found stalking the staff as they went about their days.

The zoo said Chanbai often would hide and watch keepers work, waiting for them to notice her and offer her favorite snacks. Other times, she took long naps in the sun, regardless of the outside temperatures.

According to the zoo, Chanbai would shred paper catalogs and cardboard boxes into small pieces, especially when they were sprayed with her favorite scent — root beer extract.

Zoo staff tracked Changbai's known medical issues throughout her stay and trained her to participate in her own medical care by presenting her abdomen, teeth, paws and tail, which helped staff maintain her health and detect any issues.

Changbai's health quickly declined early this summer, and she was euthanized July 26 while surrounded by her favorite staff members.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/article_63383d96-fa32-436b-9a7a-2dee1b3a7fd3.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

                    Recent stories by Racine Journal Times reporter Milana Doné

Loose horse struck and killed by Amtrak train in Caledonia

From JSOnline:

Adrienne Davis

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A horse was severely injured and later put down after being struck by an Amtrak train July 7 in Racine County, according to the Caledonia Police Department.

Police responded to the area near Prairie Crossing Drive and Racine County H in Caledonia around 6 a.m. after two horses were seen running loose.

Officers attempted to corral the animals while working to keep them off the roadway with the help of the horses' owners, but the horses began to run west along the train tracks near where they were originally seen. Police notified the train companies to request that all trains be stopped until the horses could be safely guided off the track, but a northbound Amtrak train could not stop in time and hit one of the horses.

No passengers on the train were injured. The second horse was not hit and was safely corralled into its enclosure.

A vet from the Sturtevant area was called to the scene and humanely euthanized the horse due to its severe injuries.

Adrienne Davis is a general assignment and breaking news reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2026/07/07/horse-euthanized-after-amtrak-train-collision-in-caledonia/90840067007/

Baby zebra dies following severe leg injury at Milwaukee County Zoo

From JSOnline:

Steven Martinez

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A zebra foal died Monday, June 15, at the Milwaukee County Zoo, the third animal the zoo has humanely euthanized in the past three months.

The foal, Mistari, was born April 22 to mom Thelma, who had been brought to the zoo in April 2025. The zoo's animal care and veterinary teams decided to euthanize Mistari after she suffered a severe open fracture to her rear right leg.

An initial assessment of the injury determined the bone had fractured into many pieces and the blood supply to the lower leg had been disrupted.

The zoo made the decision to humanely euthanize Mistari following consultations with large animal veterinarians and veterinary surgeons who determined the injury was not fixable with surgery due to its complexity and severity, the zoo said in a news release.

"Following the procedure, Thelma was given time to be in the stall with Mistari," the zoo said in the release. "[Thelma] sniffed her, walked in and out of the stall and did a small amount of vocalizing before ultimately leaving the stall.

Mistari is the third animal to die at the zoo since April. Brittany, an elephant and one of the longest-tenured animals at the zoo, died April 10. A little more than a month later, on May 19, the zoo euthanized a Chinese alligator named Yin. Yin had been at the zoo since 1995.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2026/06/16/baby-zebra-dies-at-milwaukee-county-zoo-following-severe-leg-injury/90575058007/

Racine Zoo mourns passing of African penguin, Nelson

Racine Zoo mourns loss of 5-year-old African penguin Nelson

From The Journal Times.com:

Milana Doné

Nelson, an African penguin at the Racine Zoo, passed away June 3 following a terminal illness. 

Courtesy of Racine Zoo

RACINE — Nelson, a 5-year-old African penguin who was born at The Racine Zoo on March 6, 2021, and could be recognized by his orange band and hunched back, has died.

Two days after Nelson hatched, he was joined by his twin brother, Ozzy, according to a news release from the zoo.

The zoo described them as a sweet, chaotic pair that sought love, attention and trouble. The penguins continued to recognize each other as brothers even as they grew into adulthood.

When Nelson was a chick, he developed a spinal infection that impacted the growth of his spine and resulted in a hunched posture, the zoo said. Although medical intervention was able to cure his infection, the shape of Nelson’s spine was permanent.

Nelson was able to do everything a normal penguin would, and the zoo prioritized a happy, healthy and comfortable life through special veterinary care, such as acupuncture treatments.

According to the zoo, Nelson formed more of a bonded relationship with hiskeepers than any of the other penguins. He clung to their shoes and responded to scratches with his own “preening” of the keepers’ fingers.

The zoo said animal care staff recently noticed changes in Nelson’s behavior and appetite that indicated something was wrong.

After exams determined a terminal illness, staff considered quality of life and declining condition. Nelson was euthanized June 3 surrounded by the animal care team, who the zoo said will remember and miss him.

African penguins live along the coast of South Africa and are the only species of penguins that live on the continent.

Their typical lifespan is 15-20 years in the wild and 20-30 years or longer in human care.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/article_a6fdf43b-88e6-4bfe-b2cb-929eec2ba897.html

Recent stories by Racine Journal Times reporter Milana Doné

Yin, one of the Milwaukee County Zoo's Chinese alligators, has died

From JSOnline:

Hannah Kirby

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A Yang without his Yin. The Milwaukee County Zoo is mourning the loss of another one of its animals.

Chinese alligator Yin, a longtime resident, was humanely euthanized in early May, the zoo shared in a Tuesday, May 19, post on its website and social media. She is suspected to have had ovarian cancer with metastasis, the zoo shared, citing preliminary necropsy results.

"Yin was a favorite among zookeepers and will be missed," the post said. "She was very smart and slower to trust but comfortable once she knew the animal care team members. The zookeepers noted she was strong-willed and intelligent, and loved shrimp."

When the animal care team noticed Yin was having mobility issues last June, the veterinary staff assessed her, which lead to antibiotic treatment for a spinal lesion, the post said. More recently, Yin's skin condition and appetite have been declining.

"After much consideration about her quality of life, along with a poor prognosis, the team made the decision to humanely euthanize her," the post said.

Yin was nearly 41 years old. The median life expectancy for a Chinese alligator in human care in 26 years old, according to the zoo.

Yin and male Chinese alligator Yang, 39, have been behind the scenes since Yin's treatment began, with Yang providing companionship to her, the post said.

"In the morning, Yin and Yang were often seen laying closely, and they spent a lot of time together," the post said.

Yin and Yang came to Milwaukee together from the Bronx Zoo in 1995.

Yang – who zookeepers note is healthy – will return to the Chinese alligator habitat, located in the zoo's Aquatic & Reptile Center, once ongoing pool renovations to the habitat are completed, the post said.

The zoo has been in contact with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan Program coordinator, the post said, and Milwaukee will likely receive a recommendation for another female in the future.

Yin's death comes just around a month after another longtime zoo resident, Brittany – a 45-year-old African savanna elephant – was humanely euthanized after her health declined. In September, one of the zoo's other beloved geriatric elephants, Ruth, was euthanized after a couple of falls.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2026/05/19/yin-one-of-the-milwaukee-county-zoos-chinese-alligators-has-died/90167241007/

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