California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Kangaroo Dies After Pacemaker Surgery

Skippy, a 7-year-old red kangaroo from the San Francisco Zoo that received a pacemaker during a first-of-its-kind operation earlier this month, has died. Zoo officials said the animal died Wednesday at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, where she had been transferred after the March 5 surgery. A team of cardiologists led by Dr. John Langbert of the UC San Francisco Medical School performed the operation. “We had done everything we could here,” said San Francisco Zoo Director Phil Arnold, “but Skippy’s energy had not returned and she was not responding to medical care, so we asked for help.” Arnold said that even with the pacemaker, Skippy’s heart contractions weren’t strong enough to move blood through her body.