One of the National Zoo’s female Stanley cranes died during surgery to correct a limb deformity she developed, the zoo said in a statement Wednesday.
According to a release, Bird House keepers noticed Alice — a 7-year-old Stanley crane — had an issue with her left leg.
“It had been splayed ever since Alice hatched, and in August 2019, she became the first Stanley crane to undergo internal brace ligament augmentation,” the zoo said.
An October 2021 CT scan later showed she had an angular limb deformity in her tarsal and metatarsal bones.
Alice entered another round of surgery on Jan. 28. But once the surgery was completed, she went into cardiorespiratory arrest.
Zoo staffers were unable to revive her.
“Alice expressed her happiness and joy every day of her life, and in doing so gave those that had the great privilege to care for her an unforgettable experience,” said Heather Anderson, Alice’s primary keeper at the Bird House. “Everyone who knew her loved her.”
The Zoo said Stanley cranes are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to habitat loss, collision with power lines and human — animal conflict.