Post by billhammond on Mar 10, 2023 10:27:30 GMT -5
(Excerpt from Strib story)
Daisy, the oldest living giraffe at St. Paul's Como Zoo, has died.
She was euthanized Thursday after zoo officials said her severe degenerative arthritis "affected her mobility, her ability to rest, and that she was in pain."
"Daisy was a strong, beautiful matriarch — quick to judge and slow to accept her human coworkers," said senior zookeeper Jill Erzar. "She was an extraordinary ambassador for giraffe, helping us connect visitors to her wild counterparts by telling her story."
Daisy, who was 23, had been a crowd favorite at Como since her arrival from the San Diego Wild Animal Park in October 2002 as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a breeding and transfer program to ensure the survival of selected threatened and endangered species.
She gave birth to eight calves during her 20 years at Como. Many of her offspring are now living at other zoos across the country, Como officials said.
But in recent months, the arthritis took its toll on the large herbivore who spends 20 hours a day on her feet, affecting her mobility and ability to rest. Despite Como's animal care and veterinary staff crafting a pain management program, Daisy's quality of life had steadily declined to a point that the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize her, zoo officials said in a statement.
