:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/NNY3YCSRBZBC7ABYIB5E7MNUXA.jpg "ZooMiami sacrifices male Pongo giraffe")
MIAMI – Veterinarians euthanized Pongo, a giraffe from ZooMiami, on Monday morning after he was suffering from growing pains, ZooMiami announced on Monday afternoon.
Pongo arrived at ZooMiami in 2009 after being born at the Denver Zoo and caring for his mother Masika, a reticulated giraffe, also known as a Somali giraffe.
At 5 meters high, Pongo had become the tallest giraffe in the zoo herd and visitors were able to see him up close at the Samburu Giraffe Feeding Station.
“He will be sorely missed by everyone who has had the pleasure of meeting him and the privilege of working with him,” said Ron Magill of ZooMiami in a statement.
Pongo’s suffering with his left rear hull started with a small fracture. To treat him, the vets immobilized him on September 19. He received laser therapy and personalized shoes to help promote fracture healing and relieve pain, according to Magill.
“Initially, it made him walk normally, which was a great relief for the team,” wrote Magill. “However, several weeks after the procedure, the shoes came off and, at some point after the shoes were lost, he apparently injured the hoof again and started to significantly favor it.”
After the injury appeared to have worsened and none of the treatments were effective, the vets decided to immobilize Pongo again on Monday morning.
“Unfortunately, X-rays revealed that in the past two weeks he had further fractured his foot in a way that prevented the Animal Health team from successfully treating him and the painful decision was made to sacrifice him while he was still under anesthesia, ”wrote Magill.
Pongo would be 12 on February 15. The Denver Zoo team killed Pongo’s mother, Masika, 23, last year. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, giraffes can live up to 25 years in captivity.
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