Zoo Miami Mourns the Tragic Passing of 3-Month-Old Baby Giraffe
On March 18, Zoo Miami shared the heartbreaking news of the death of a juvenile giraffe that was born on December 15th. The young female was found deceased early Saturday morning by Animal Science staff and was then transported to the Zoo Animal Health Facility where a necropsy was performed.
The saddest aspect of this story? The three-month-old giraffe's cause of death was determined to be a broken neck.
Zoo Miami shared in a press release that because the event that led to this trauma happened overnight and was not personally observed, zoo officials can only speculate that something startled the animal and caused it to run into a fence, resulting in the fatal injury. No other giraffe in the herd displayed any signs of trauma, and all have since returned to their normal routines without incident. Zoo staff continue to closely monitor the herd for any indication of stress or abnormal behavior while searching for any indication of what may have led to this very sad incident.
Related: Video of Baby Giraffe Finally Walking Thanks to New Leg Braces Is Touching Hearts
The zoo has had 60 giraffe births throughout its history. I can't imagine what all of the zoo staff are going through but the press release also states that as part of a support system for staff dealing with loss that it provides counseling in times of crisis and loss for those who may need it.
It's such a devastating loss.
Giraffe moms are highly protective over their babies. Sadly we have no information about whether the mama was present or if she is doing okay.
Facts About Baby Giraffes
A baby giraffe gets its spot patterns from its mama, and these spots can aide body temperature regulation.
A baby giraffe can run at top speed and keep up with their parents and the rest of the herd at only ten hours old! It only takes a giraffe about thirty minutes of practice after birth before they can walk and avoid stumbling.
Baby giraffe calfs begin eating within the first hour of life. For the first four to six months, the babies drink milk from their mother. After that time, the babies begin eating leaves. If the babies cannot reach trees with available leaves, mothers will pull leaves off and feed them to the babies.
Baby giraffe moo just like cows do!
Also, mama giraffes may use “babysitters”. They’ll leave their baby giraffes in the care of a female in the same herd in an area called a crèche. The others can go eat and drink in peace.
This is such a tragic loss for Zoo Miami and I'm not sure what protocols can be put in place to stop this from happening again. Our hearts go out to all of the employees there after this sad event.
If you would like information about Zoo Miami you can visit their website here.
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