Hofmeister, Max

1 publication

Hofmeister, Max (detail)
1963A manatee experience.
Drum & Croaker, June 1, 1963: 12.
—Account of the captivity in the Toledo (Ohio) Zoo Aquarium of a "South American freshwater manatee" from Georgetown, British Guiana [probably T. manatus], Apr.-Sept. 1960. He shared a tank with a paddlefish and ate lettuce, spinach, and celery; suffered from "very loose bowels" near the end of his captivity and finally died. Death was attributed to "edema and other complications probably due to ... resting in a bent attitude with head and tail downward, resulting in skin folds blocking the urogenital opening"; but this is a normal attitude for wild manatees. Also, "severe rope lacerations ... responded slowly to Acriflavin treatment."