Ali the African elephant at Jacksonville Zoo has successful root canal

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ali the 33-year-old African elephant underwent successful surgery for an infected tusk. The root canal procedure was deemed necessary on the 11,000-pound elephant who came to Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.

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The tusk needed to be treated. The spread of infection and other possible, severe side effects were a real possibility. Complicating the surgery was the size of Ali, the special dental equipment required and the anesthesia. Keeping an African elephant under sedation for the four-and-a-half-hour procedure was no easy task.

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A team of nearly 60 people worked tirelessly to ensure the outcome was a success.

“It took a team of dedicated people to coordinate this type of challenging medical procedure and we are very pleased with the outcome,” Corey Neatrour, Assistant Curator of Mammals at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens said. “Ali had a similar procedure in 2019 and his story is a reminder of the tremendous effort we make for animals in our care.”

Highlighting the difficulty of the operation was the need to coordinate the anesthesia portion of the procedure, which started in 2022. Nearly 30 people closely monitored Ali’s vital signs while under with an additional 30-plus team members participating in essential roles.

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Veterinarians from South Africa and six different facilities across the U.S. worked together to assist and participate in the procedure.

Since Ali was lying down for an extended time, the team safely assisted him to his feet using a crane. While worrisome, the staff planned for all scenarios months prior to the procedure to mitigate risks. 

Ali is now on the road to recovery, thanks to intensive planning, collaboration and teamwork of many skilled colleagues that came together to provide the best possible care for this special patient.

Read: Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens welcomes a new member to the family

“I am beyond grateful to our elephant handlers, animal health and nutrition teams, and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ crew for coming together flawlessly for such an enormous procedure,” one of Jacksonville Zoo and Garden’s veterinarians, Dr. Meredith Persky said.

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Visitors can see Ali, and two females, Thandi and Sheena at the Elephant Plaza exhibit.