Columbus zoo reindeer dies

POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) -- An 8-year-old reindeer died unexpectedly Monday night at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

According to a post on its Facebook page, zoo doctors found Snowflake was suffering from a chronic systemic infection while under anesthesia for an exam recently.

Snowflake was returned to her habitat once she recovered from the exam and was stable. However, the zoo said she died during the night. An autopsy suggests the infection worsened, the zoo said.

Snowflake was born on April 12, 2013, at the Crystal Collection Reindeer Farm in Minnesota and came to Columbus in November 2013.

Snowflake was the mother of one son, Bumble, who now lives in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

According to her care team, Snowflake will be remembered for her "drama" and spunk and being one of the most trainable reindeer, being the first at the zoo to be trained for voluntary hoof trims on all four of her hooves. She was also eventually trained to receive voluntary injections to treat arthritis in her later years.