SEATTLE, Wash. — Woodland Park Zoo says its female pudu Maggie died while recovering from anesthesia after a tooth extraction.
The 7-year-old was a mother of five.
Pudu are the smallest deer species in the world and are native to South America, according to the zoo.
Their average lifespan is 8 years.
“The tooth was extracted without complications and Maggie did well under anesthesia. She was being closely monitored as she began to recover,” said Dr. Yousuf Jafarey, an associate veterinarian at Woodland Park Zoo in a news release.
“As her recovery progressed, we noted abnormalities and cardiac arrest occurred. Unfortunately, despite recovery efforts, Maggie passed away.”
Dr. Jafarey says the entire team is saddened by her passing.
Maggie arrived in 2018 and was paired with their male Ted under the Pudu Species Survival Plan, an accredited breeding program.
According to zoo officials, pudu are listed as near threatened because of hunting and the clearing of their natural habitat for commercial development.