Dolphin Dies In 'Freak Accident' At Zoo (Video)

One of the most recent additions to the crew of performing dolphins at the Chicago area's Brookfield Zoo, 4-year-old Nea, died Monday following an apparent "freak accident" collision with another dolphin.

Though no one witnessed the incident, the Chicago Tribune reports that Nea sustained a fractured skull just before the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin was to perform during a 1 p.m. show at the zoo. Marine mammal trainers reportedly administered CPR but were unable to save her.

Nea's death has "devastated" zoo staff who worked with her, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

"Anybody who had worked with her just instantly fell in love with her," Rita Stacey, zoo curator of marine mammals told the Sun-Times. "She was a very fun-loving, very cooperative animal. She always wanted to work with and play with the trainers."

According to NBC Chicago, the average lifespan for a dolphin ranges between 17 and 25 years. Nea first arrived at the Brookfield Zoo only last year.

Dolphin shows were canceled for the rest of the day Monday, but resumed Tuesday.

Giant Panda Celebrates Second Birthday At San Diego Zoo (VIDEO)

Giant pandas may be endangered in the wild, but this guy's only concern was having too much fun with his birthday cake.

Yun Zi is a giant panda at the San Diego Zoo who celebrated his second birthday in early August. Zookeepers gave him a special cake made out of ice with some of his favorite fruits and vegetables.

According to SanDiego.com, the San Diego Zoo is “one of only four zoos in the United States which house and displays giant pandas and is the most successful program with regards to panda reproduction.”

The Zoo has bred four other panda cubs, which have all been sent to China as part of a twelve year research loan program that took “years of prolonged negotiations and mountains of paperwork” to set up.

Giant pandas, which are native to China, are threatened with extinction. The Associated Press explains that this is due to a loss of habitat, poaching and poor breeding abilities. AFP reports that giant pandas may become extinct in two or three generations.

The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. has an adult female giant panda, but she has failed for five years in a row to give the zoo a cub.

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