At a zoo in upstate New York, a six-year-old giraffe tragically passed away from its long neck becoming trapped inside an enclosure gate.
At the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, the beloved giraffe Parker was discovered Sunday morning unconscious with his six-foot neck caught in the gate.
Veterinary teams were called, but they were unable to revive Parker.
Steve Lacy, the director of the zoo, said in a statement of sorrow that “the possibility of this kind of event happening was unforeseen and unprecedented.”
The enclosure, according to zoo officials, was installed in 2018 and is a replica of other gates in the US.
Parker the curious and playful giraffe arrived in The Empire State from Santa Barbara in 2018.
He shared an enclosure with two female giraffes Kipenzi and Iggy. Parker later became a father to Olmsted who was born in April 2022, according to the zoo.
‘Our priority is the health and wellbeing of our animals and any major event can certainly affect them,’ Seneca Park Zoo Veterinarian Chris McKinney wrote.
‘So far, all three giraffes, Iggy, Kipenzie, and Olmsted, are doing well. We will continue to monitor them closely in the coming days.’
The giraffe’s tragic death led to the zoo to remain close until Monday. Grief counselors are also available to staff throughout the week.
In July 2022, another giraffe perished at the zoo. Unnamed second son of Parker passed away three weeks after his birth.
The newborn giraffe was euthanized because of birth defects.
In Parker’s honor, zoo officials started a fundraising campaign for the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
About $300 had been raised as of Tuesday.
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