Mourning and sorrow at Magdeburg Zoo – baby giraffe has died
The young male giraffe born on 1st June 2019 during a concert in Magdeburg Zoo died today at lunch time. Even with all the intensive medical care given by the vets Dr. Niels Mensing and Dr. Fabienne Hörmann, the death of the giraffe could not be prevented. The giraffe collapsed shortly before its lunch time feeding. The young giraffe suffered from a poly arthritic joint inflammation. This explains why the young animal seemed to have stiff legs and problems with walking, which was also noticed by visitors. The cause of the inflamation was a rare bacteria from the acetobacter category, which was also a multiresistant germ. The antibiotics which were given showed a slight improvement, however the giraffe was still unable to walk properly. The medical tests will now be carried out at the Veterinary University in Hanover in order to achieve clarity on the multifactorial condition. The zoo would like to thank everyone who accompanied the baby giraffe since its birth. Particular thanks go to the zoo keepers, curators and vets as well as the many animal lovers from all over the world who were part of the livestream/online chat.