Kipele, a giraffe born at the Denver Zoo about three decades ago, has died.
We are heartbroken to share that Kipele, our giraffe, was humanely euthanized after an acute decline in her health. Due to Kipele’s advanced age and mobility issues we were managing, our animal care and veterinary medicine teams have been closely monitoring her quality of life.
— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo)
The 29-year-old giraffe was euthanized on March 7 after a sudden decline in health and concerns about quality of life, officials said in a Wednesday Twitter thread.
Born on Aug. 16, 1993, she was among the oldest giraffes in Association of Zoos accredited facilities, according to the Denver Zoo.
“The average lifespan for giraffes is 25, so we were incredibly grateful for every additional moment we had with this special giraffe,” zoo officials said on Twitter. “Even though we knew our time with Kipele wouldn’t last forever, this loss, like any, is incredibly hard on the staff who provided her with immeasurable amounts of love, care and attention for the past 29 years.”
Zoo staff will give extra attention to younger giraffes Dobby, BB and Jasiri to ensure they’re thriving after Kipele’s death.
