Tragic accident at the North Carolina Zoo as 6-month-old giraffe dies
The youngest member of the NC Zoo’s giraffe family died unexpectedly Wednesday only 6 months after his birth — a heartbreaking loss for North Carolina’s animal lovers.
Named Fenn, the giraffe calf arrived in May weighing 145 pounds, offspring to first-time mother Leia and father Jack.
Zoo fans chose the calf’s name with 10,000 votes.
Fenn had been nursing when another giraffe startled him, causing him to bolt into a nearby gate, zoo staff said. His head and neck trauma couldn’t be treated despite quick response from veterinarians.
“The North Carolina Zoo family is shocked and devastated by Fenn’s tragic death,” officials there said in a Thursday news release. “Fenn was an energetic and vibrant addition to the giraffe herd (or tower) and quickly became a cherished member of the Zoo community. His playful antics and charming nature endeared him to staff and visitors alike. He will be remembered with fondness and love by all who knew him.”
Fenn’s springtime arrival brought the zoo’s giraffe total to five.
Leia, a 13-year-old reticulated giraffe born in 2009 at Zoo Miami, arrived in 2014, five years after Jack, who hails from Dickerson Park Zoo. Their pairing sprung from a plan from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which safeguards the genetic diversity of species in human care, zoo officials reported.
