I am bawling at my desk. I met him last summer and he was the sweetest!! 
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Oh no! 
That’s terrible
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Wow. This is sad news. He was 28 which is a little young according to what I found. 
(Got to get myself together before my coworkers show up. )
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That is so awfully sad 
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Noooo! That’s so sad I met him too. Thankfully his legacy will live on with Logan.
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And Ranger and Mylo!
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Yeah - though I guess like humans there is average life expectancy but some outlive it and some go early.
I’m sure they will do an autopsy to find out what happened. I know they get excellent care at Animal Kingdom and the vet team and keepers do all they can. I am sure they are all devastated right now!!
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Wait, he was not the one you pet on Up Close with Rhinos tour was he?
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Yes. He was when I did it this past summer.
The first time I met Kiama and Kendi (Ranger’s mom). Dugan was still new-ish there.
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Yes he was one of them. I also met Helen before too.
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Oh no, that’s what I was afraid of.
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Noooooo!!! Sweet Dugan! Getting to touch him was one of the highlights of our trips! 
RIP.
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I know!! I’m so sad!!!
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I’m so sad.
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Did they ever find out or reveal what the cause was?
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No. Not sure they will.
I was planning to put this is my trip report, but who knows if I’ll ever get back to that!
I did WAT on 6/9 and one of our guides also did the rhino tours. I asked about Dugan. He said he passed during a medical procedure. It was devastating for everyone. He was visibly upset talking about it. He said all the rhino tours for a week or so went to the other rhino barn to give the team time to mourn. I didn’t press for any more details.
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So sad. Thank you for the update.
Yes…having done the tour twice I know how much the trainers and vets all care for the animals so I know they were totally devastated.
In the most recent season of the AK show there are some procedures where the animal is slow to come out of anesthesia (Tolstoy the turtle in particular - Alika the shark to a lesser degree) and you can see how much it affects the team when it looks like it’s not going right. AND how much it affects them when something happens - like how they had to put Spike the gorilla down.
One thing is obvious from that though - the animals are getting the best possible care out there.
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It’s always unnerving for us, the viewers. I can’t imagine how it is for them
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Yes. Sea turtles are among my favorites (I’ve gotten to see loggerhead nests boil twice) so I was super stressed when Tolstoy was not coming out of anesthesia. Plus, I was like “PLEASE don’t show his death on tv!!!”
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