Overview
- Surveillance footage showed Lilak fell at about 5:20 a.m. on Rosenmontag and could not rise despite keepers’ coaxing and treats.
- Around 15 Kronberg firefighters assisted keepers and the zoo veterinarian, using a large air cushion and carefully placed hoses to lift the 3.7‑ton animal.
- Zoodirector Thomas Kauffels said Tuesday morning that Lilak ate normally and behaved as usual, with ongoing monitoring planned.
- The cause of the fall remains unclear, and the zoo says the video does not explain why she toppled.
- Her recovery carries added importance because she has been nursing and caring for calf Kaja and serves as a matriarchal figure in the herd.