San Diego Zoo Announces Death by Euthanasia of 2-Day Old Giraffe Due to Standing and Feeding Problem

San Diego Zoo announced that a euthanasia procedure was administered to a 2-day old giraffe. The sanctuary's officials decided to push the operation due to the severity of the illness experienced by the calf. The infant animal departed last Tuesday.

Death of Young Masai Giraffe at San Diego Zoo Last Thursday

(Photo : MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)
A recently born and unnamed baby female Masai giraffe calf bonds with her father named Phillip at the Los Angeles zoo in California on November 22, 2016. The calf which is now two weeks old was 130 pounds and just under six feet tall at birth. The Masai giraffes are the largest of the nine subspecies of African giraffes.

A recently born and unnamed baby female Masai giraffe calf bonds with her father named Phillip at the Los Angeles zoo in California on November 22, 2016. The calf was 130 pounds and just under six feet tall at birth. The Masai giraffes are the largest of the nine subspecies of African giraffes.

The newborn Masai giraffe met an inescapable fate right after it was born on January 17. The calf's mom is one of San Diego Zoo's adult giraffes named Zindzhi. Just a few moments after its birth, the young giraffe was observed to have difficulties standing and eating.

The giraffe was taken for health examination at the Safari Park's Harter Veterinary Medical Center. The experts attempted to narrow down the potential reasons that induced the abnormal condition of the young Masai giraffe.

According to a report by DailyMail, officials of the San Diego Zoo announced the passing of Masai giraffe last Thursday. The sanctuary experts said that despite all of their efforts, the infant's state did not get better. With the pain and difficulty that the calf experiences, their team decided to proceed with euthanasia.

The zoo officials said that they are currently monitoring Zindzhi and its other calves for any response they may present following the departure of the Masai giraffe. For now, the herd is currently living well at the park.

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Birth of Baby Sumatran Orangutan 'Kaja'

With the unfortunate death of the young giraffe, the San Diego Zoo was granted a new baby by its resident Sumatran orangutan. The great infant ape is now two weeks old, born last January 4.

The arboreal mammal was named Kaja, inspired by an Indonesian island that intersects with Borneo called Kalimantan. The island was a temporary home for orangutans before they were approved to be released on their natural habitats.

Kaja was the first and only orangutan in the San Diego Zoo that was born after seven years. San Diego Zoo's executive director Erika Kohler said that witnessing the birth of Kaja is special, considering that their species thrive on being excluded from the list of critically endangered animals today. The official said that Kaja's presence sparks hope for the future of our biodiversity.

Kohler said that the birth of Kaja is among the necessary step to regain the scarce population of the Sumatran orangutans. Contributing a single count to the current family meant that their conservation efforts were stable and effective.

Kaja's mother, Inda, experienced minor health problems following the birth, but the experts confirmed that she is now in her recovery stage. Further monitoring by wildlife health specialists is now at hand to cater to any medical needs that the mother and child orangutan requires.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance director of veterinary Meg Sutherland said they are bestowed with rewarding efforts applied to both Kaja and Inda. The director expressed gratitude for the people behind the care who have put forward the best of their expertise. For now, the zoo community will remain vigilant and hopeful for the conditions of all the animals they house.