Penza, 21 July 2019. PenzaNews. A foal of Shetland pony Sparta, who had been born in April, died of overeating in Penza zoo in the evening on Saturday, July 20.

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"Veterinarians had tried to save the foal for seven long hours, but failed. The autopsy revealed that the stomach of the poor thing was full of food and it just burst from excess. After a plentiful meal that the foal had had yesterday, our doctors tried to help the victim of so-called good feeders, but the medicine is not omnipotent," a statement published in the community of the zoo on social network Vkontakte states.

It also notes that people ignore signs prohibiting feeding and requests of zoo staff, coming up with various excuses for their actions.

"Don't feed our animals if you want to see them alive," the text adds.