A baby giraffe at the Detroit Zoo has died of injuries in her habitat earlier this week, officials announced Friday.
The 3-month-old female calf, named Okidi, suffered a spinal injury when she ran into a viewing panel in her indoor habitat. The veterinary and animal care team decided to euthanize her because of the injury’s seriousness and her poor prognosis, the zoo said on Facebook.
“Okidi brought joy to so many, and she was deeply loved by those who cared for her each day,” the zoo said in a statement. She was born Nov. 23.
Okidi’s mother and three other giraffes in her herd were allowed to see the calf after she was put down, which the zoo said is important for herd dynamics.
jcardi@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Zoo euthanizes baby giraffe after spinal injury
Reporting by Julia Cardi, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
