California IN BRIEF : SAN DIEGO : C-Section Set to Take Dead Elephant Fetus

San Diego Zoo veterinarians failed to remove a dead 300-pound fetus from an Asian elephant and will attempt a risky Cesarean section today to save the mother. The surgery will be the first performed on a pachyderm, the family of animals that includes the elephant and rhinoceros, according to San Diego Wild Animal Park spokesman Tom Hanscom. Veterinarians fear that Jean, the 19-year-old elephant, could die a slow and painful death from poisoning as the fetus decomposes, Hanscom said. But the Cesarean procedure poses a high risk of infection. Even if the operation is successful, the healing process could take months, he said.