Salix, a Rocky Mountain goat kid, dies at the Denver Zoo

A Rocky Mountain goat kid died unexpectedly at the Denver Zoo Saturday, the second goat to die at the zoo in about a four-month span.

Salix, who was born at the zoo on May 30, was found by animal care specialists on Friday “behaving abnormally with a repetitive chewing motion and lethargy, and he was less responsive to his care team,” zoo officials said in a statement.

After a veterinary assessment, a “supportive treatment” was undertaken, but Salix did not respond and later died. A postmortem exam was conducted but initial findings were inconclusive. A variety of disease screening tests will be conducted to “better understand what happened to Salix,” according to the zoo.

Salix, the Latin word for “willow,” was born to first-time parents Elbert and Magnolia and quickly captured people’s hearts with his “spunky personality and overall adorableness,” the zoo said. Salix was named in honor of Willow, a female Rocky Mountain goat who died in March.

“While our time with Salix was much shorter than anticipated, his animal care team shares that it was an honor to care for him over the last two months and get to know this curious little cloud,” the statement said. “Salix was a beloved member of our animal family, and he will be dearly missed by everyone at the Zoo.”

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