MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Zoo Miami announced the death of a juvenile giraffe on Monday.
According to Zoo Miami spokesman Ron Magill, the young female was found dead early Saturday morning by Animal Science staff.
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She was then transported to the Zoo Animal Health Facility, where a necropsy was performed and it was discovered that she had broken her neck.
“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,” Magill said in a news release. “No other giraffe in the herd displayed any signs of trauma, and all have since returned to their normal routines without incident.”
According to Magill, zoo staff continue to monitor the herd for any signs of stress or abnormal behavior.
“Zoo Miami has had an exceptional record of caring for giraffes, with 60 being born throughout its history,” Magill said. “In addition, it has provided funding through the Zoo Miami Conservation Fund to various organizations in support of giraffe conservation in the wild.”
Magill said the zoo is evaluating its procedures to help prevent any similar incidents in the future.