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LA Zoo Announces Death Of Jabba, 28-Year-Old Hippo

LOS ANGELES (CBS) —  Jabba, the Los Angeles Zoo's only hippopotamus, has died.  Jabba was 28.

The death Friday marks the first time since the zoo opened in 1966 that it will not have a hippo on exhibit.

Zoo keepers said Jabba was ailing for the past month.

He showed a decreased appetite, abnormal bloating and was not responding to medication, zoo spokesman Jason Jacobs said.

"Today the staff made the difficult decision to euthanize him," Jacobs said.

Jabba will be transported to a California Animal Health and Food Safety laboratory, where a full necropsy will be done.

"As unfortunate an occurrence as it is when an animal like this passes away, it is also a learning opportunity," Jacobs said.

He said it is too soon to know whether the zoo will try to acquire another hippo.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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