North Carolina Zoological Park
died Sunday from injuries suffered in a fall.
Keepers found the animal down in the zoo's Forest Edge Exhibitholding barn when they arrived at work around 8 a.m. Theyspeculate he may have splayed his legs while tussling overnight with oneof the other three giraffes housed in the facility.
Zoo veterinarians, animal curators and keepers worked with thegiraffe all morning, but were unsuccessful in attempts to get him back onhis feet. He died around 1 p.m.
A necropsy, or animal autopsy, performedat the zoo's Hanes Veterinary Medical Center Sunday evening revealed thegiraffe died from muscle damage and other injuries sustainedwhen his legs splayed, according to zoo Associate Veterinarian Dr.Barbara Wolfe.
Born in November 1996, the male was the last giraffe to be born atthe N.C. Zoo. Another male and two females, including the 26-year-oldmother of the deceased male, remain in good health and on exhibit at thezoo. There are no plans to replace the giraffe that died, according toLorraine Smith, the zoo's Curator of Mammals.
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