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A tragic incident unfolded at Brights Zoo, a rural sanctuary in Limestone, Tennessee, last week, when a 7-year-old male sitatunga antelope named Lief tragically choked to death. The incident occurred after Lief ingested a plastic cap from a squeezable food pouch, which a visitor had illegally brought into the zoo against its strict safety regulations.

Brights Zoo, renowned for its dedication to animal welfare and conservation efforts, sits approximately 70 miles east of Knoxville, Tennessee. In a heartfelt series of social media posts, zoo officials detailed the sequence of events leading to Lief's untimely demise, emphasizing the inherent dangers posed by items like plastic caps to their cherished animals.

"We frequently face questions regarding our prohibition on squeezable pouches within the zoo premises. The rationale is clear: such packaging presents a significant hazard to our animals' well-being. Today, we mourn the loss of a beloved member of our animal family due to choking," the zoo's management conveyed with palpable grief.

Despite rigorous protocols requiring guests to undergo bag searches upon entry, some individuals managed to evade these measures, inadvertently leading to tragic consequences. The sitatunga antelope, also known as a marshbuck, originates from the lush forests and wetlands of central Africa, where their population is estimated to range between 90,000 to 120,000 mature individuals, according to data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

While sitatungas are currently classified as "Least Concern" in terms of their conservation status, their presence at Brights Zoo serves as a crucial educational opportunity for visitors to appreciate and learn about this unique species. In captivity, these graceful antelopes typically thrive for up to 22 years, as noted by experts at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.

Despite exhaustive efforts, officials at Brights Zoo expressed their deep regret at not being able to pinpoint the specific visitor responsible for the incident. They mourned the loss of Lief, describing him as a vibrant individual with much left to experience and contribute to the zoo's community.