Gentle giant: 'Jaffa' RWP Zoo's male giraffe dies after chronic hoof issues

PROVIDENCE − A popular giraffe, born 13 years ago at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, has died after health problems, the zoo announced Tuesday.

Jaffa Prince, an endangered Masai giraffe, was euthanized after a fall that left the 18-foot-tall giraffe unable to stand, the zoo said.

“Jaffa was the very definition of tall, dark and handsome. He captivated guests who were in awe of his grand stature," Jenny Theuman, animal care manager at the zoo, said in the announcement. "Jaffa was stubborn and sweet, smart and aloof."

Jaffa had been having health problems recently. In June, the zoo assembled a team of 45 people to treat the giraffe's chronic hoof issues. Jaffa was under anesthesia for two hours, a risky procedure for giraffes, as veterinary staff from Roger Williams, the Columbus Zoo, Omaha Zoo, Zoo New England, Tufts University, as well as a national leader in giraffe hoof care, trimmed his hooves.

Jaffa had been recovering well from the procedure but experienced a setback resulting in the need for additional medical evaluation under anesthesia, the zoo said. "To give Jaffa the best chance at recovery," the zoo brought back the original team of specialists, which found several areas of infection in his front teeth and treated him with antibiotics and custom-made shoes, the zoo said.

More: How many people does it take to trim a giraffe's hooves? For RI zoo staff, this was no joke

His degenerative arthritis was treated with stem cells, "a new, cutting-edge therapy available for some animals," the zoo said.

“Jaffa recovered well from his procedure. We had high hopes for his continued improvement, but 72 hours later suffered a fall that resulted in his inability to stand; our animal care and veterinary teams made the difficult decision to euthanize him humanely," Kim Wojick, the zoo’s senior veterinarian, said.

He was born at the zoo on July 9, 2010, to his mother, Sukari, and father, Griffin. Jaffa had spent his entire life at the Providence zoo, "where he touched the hearts of guests, staff, and volunteers," the zoo said. A Facebook post about his death prompted more than 2,500 reactions and 357 comments.

His large size, at 18 feet tall and 2,800 pounds likely contributed to his hoof problems, the zoo said.

Jaffa was "curious and expressive," Theuman said, and "keepers could often tell when Jaffa figured out something new."

"This same expressive face was periodically used to judge new staff, typically followed by a snort and flared nostrils," she said. "Gentle and patient, Jaffa embodied all the best qualities of a giraffe."

The zoo has two other giraffes, Cora, 7, and Providence, 2, both females, according to Vicki Scharfberg, the zoo's director of marketing and public relations

Giraffe populations have "declined drastically" over the past 30 years. There are only about 35,000 Masai giraffes left in the wild, the zoo said. Victims of poachers and habitat loss, they are considered endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Nearly half of the giraffes born in the wild do not make it to their first birthday, the zoo said.

Theuman said the loss of Jaffa "marks the end of an era." She said, "The biggest boy left our world a little smaller today."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Masai giraffe, 'Jaffa' dies at Roger Williams Park zoo after fall