USDA releases inspection of Montgomery Zoo after cheetah dies from eating part of lunchbox

USDA releases inspection of Montgomery Zoo after cheetah dies from eating part of lunchbox

The United States Department of Agriculture gave the Montgomery Zoo until April 1 to adjust handling and exhibition of animals after a cheetah died in November.

Santiago the cheetah passed away a few days after consuming parts of a lunchbox – and the food items inside of it – dropped by a visitor. After a necropsy examination, a “large amount of undigested lunch box material was found in the animal’s stomach,” the report read.

According to the USDA report, a member of the public dropped the lunch box into the cheetah enclosure. The attending veterinarian heard two people riding on a ski lift overhead that they had dropped an insulated lunch box. She “immediately contacted animal care staff,” and the lunch box was removed, but Santiago had already consumed parts of it.

He was under “extensive monitoring and veterinary care” before he passed away.

The USDA released the results of their routine inspection of the Montgomery Zoo in December, with the section of the report referring to animal handling as “critical.”

The report stated that the zoo would need to make a temporary correction by Jan. 1, as well as a permanent correction by April 1.

At the time of publishing, the zoo did not reply to a voicemail or email from AL.com requesting additional information.