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Zoo Boise Welcomes New Male Giraffe

10/7/2010

 
Zoo Boise is pleased to welcome a new 10-month-old giraffe from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, an accredited zoo in Vallejo, Calif. The 10-foot male joins Julius, a 4-year-old, in the African Plains Exhibit at Zoo Boise.

The new giraffe was purchased by the City of Boise to replace Joseph, a male giraffe that died Sept. 20.

A necropsy -- an animal autopsy -- completed by the University of Idaho Caine Veterinary Center in Caldwell, was inconclusive about the cause of death. Dr. M. Wayne Ayers, a veterinarian at the Caine Center, indicated it could have been the result of Clostridium sordellii, a toxin-producing bacteria that can act quickly on an animal's system. He also found mild bruising on the animal's neck, which could have been sustained when the giraffe collapsed. The injury might also have resulted from being entangled in something in his pen, although Dr. Ayers found no other evidence of such a struggle.

"While we are sad about the loss of Joseph, we are pleased the Julius has a companion and will not be alone through the winter," says Steve Burns, director of Zoo Boise.

The cost of the new giraffe is $18,250, including shipping. Funds were provided by the City of Boise.

Thanks to their towering legs and long necks, giraffes are the world's tallest animal. An adult male giraffe can grow to 19 feet tall and weigh up to 4,000 pounds.

Zoo Boise is one of only 218 institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Founded in 1924, the AZA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.

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