Legend, a 14-year old white lion on loan from Siegfried & Roy, died today at the Toledo Zoo following a diagnostic procedure.

Zoo keepers had recently noticed Legend showing signs of front left leg lameness, according to a statement from the Toledo Zoo. The lion was immobilized today to allow veterinary staff find the source of the discomfort.

Legend was put under anesthesia for about one hour. During that time, vets treated three over-grown toenails and an inflamed nail bed. The Toledo Zoo reports that the lion was stable throughout the procedure, including during an ultrasound of the heart which indicated no obvious issues.

The white lion was removed from anesthesia when the procedure was concluded. While still on oxygen, he went into cardiac and respiratory arrest. Veterinary staff worked to revive Legend, but were unsuccessful in their attempts.

“Animal deaths are always difficult, but Legend’s is even more so because of its sudden and unexpected nature,” said Dr. Ric Berlinski, Zoo chief veterinarian.

The Toledo Zoo cannot speculate on a cause of death, but will perform a gross necropsy, an autopsy for animals, and histopathology tests in order to investigate further.

“Because of the amount of time our dedicated animal care staff spends caring for the animals they become like family. This is a very sad loss for our entire Toledo Zoo family,” said Ron Fricke, deputy director of the Zoo.

Courage, Legend’s 14-year old brother, will continue to reside in the Toledo Zoo’s Tembo Trail.

Contact Christina Payne at: cpayne@theblade.com or 419-724-6050.

First Published June 26, 2015, 11:40 p.m.