![]() Results of an investigation have not been released. Last month, a zebra severely injured an animal keeper and a gazelle that was spooked by what happened was found dead. The zoo keeps animals in Washington and at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. In the 20 months since May 2012, 351 animals have died, said zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson. In an average year, there can be 200 to 400 deaths based on various lifespans, Kelly said, ranging from mammals to small amphibians and spiders. But Kelly said the number of deaths this year was normal for a collection of 2,000 animals. Recent deaths of several animals, including an endangered Przewalski's horse on Wednesday, have drawn attention to animal care. "I am looking at ways we can focus the animal-care staff on the daily task of zoo keeping, which might have a short-term impact on our guest experience," he said. The zoo does not charge admission, as part of the Smithsonian, but it does raise additional money through donations, retail sales and research grants. Kelly said he may in the short term scale back some public programs and animal-keeper talks, to allow more time for animal care. The National Zoo's federal budget has been reduced by about $2m since 2010, due to cuts from Congress. ![]() It's hard to plan when you don't know what your budget is going to be." "As much as the budget has declined, it's the budget uncertainty. "The core issue is the stress that being more thinly staffed and uncertainty puts on the team," Kelly said. In an interview on Thursday, National Zoo director Dennis Kelly said the animal keeper staff was stretched thin due to budget cuts over the past three years. In September, the zoo was reaccredited by the Association for Zoos and Aquariums. Among other incidents, it also looked at an injury to a species of antelope called a kudu, a wallaby that would become upset when housed near hornbill birds and a vulture that escaped its enclosure but was caught. The panel examined the death of a Red River hog after significant weight loss and possible malnutrition. In a 3 September report, investigators from the zoo's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee wrote: "The key finding of our investigation is that animal care and overall organization, accountability, follow-up and communication are severely lacking" in the cheetah exhibit area.
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