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Arctic fox Timber dies suddenly at the Maryland Zoo

Arctic fox Timber.jpg
Posted at 12:54 PM, Aug 06, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-06 12:59:11-04

BALTIMORE — The Maryland Zoo announced the loss of Arctic fox Timber.

Timber was 5-years-old, and passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 4.

“We were all shocked and saddened by this loss,” said Erin Cantwell, mammal collection and conservation manager. “While he wasn’t one of our larger animals, he had a huge effect on our staff and guests. He was a great ambassador for the dynamic changes of the Arctic demonstrating seasonal coat changes to match the surroundings - pure white in winter and dark in the summer. His energy and enthusiasm will be greatly missed.”

On Tuesday, Timber’s animal care team found him unresponsive in the late morning and the Zoo’s veterinary team responded immediately.

“We found Timber struggling to breathe,” stated Dr. John Flanders, associate veterinarian. “Timber was not currently under any medical treatment, and was completely normal earlier in the morning. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to stabilize his condition, and he passed away at our hospital. We hope to find out what caused his sudden decline by doing a full post-mortem evaluation.”

Timber came to the Zoo in 2016, and has been a key species in the Zoo’s Polar Bear Watch area.