Pets
Elderly Giraffe, 24, Euthanized At Denver Zoo
Dikembe, the male giraffe, was thought to be the oldest living male of the species in a U.S. zoo.
DENVER, CO – The Denver Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its long-time animal residents. Dikembe, 24, the elderly (for a giraffe) male was euthanized Thursday after a series of health problems, the zoo announced on their Facebook page.
Dikembe, described by zoo staff as "gentle, charismatic and goofy," was the proud father of 17 baby giraffes over his lifetime, including Dobby, the calf who had his first birthday in February.
Dikembe suffered from a "host of health issues," the zoo said. Veterinarians decided to "humanely euthanize him after he began showing signs that his quality of life had declined."
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Only about 100,000 giraffes inhabit the planet, many of them in zoos. Dikembe, a reticulated giraffe, was thought to be the oldest living male giraffe in captivity in the U.S.
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See Dikembe in action at the Denver Zoo Facebook live broadcast for World Giraffe Day 2017.
Image via Denver Zoo
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