COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo announced it had to euthanize Amani, a 26-year-old female reticulated giraffe, on Wednesday.
Zoo officials say Amani experienced a quick decline in her health due to age-related issues. They say her care team made the difficult but compassionate decision to euthanize her.
Amani was the oldest giraffe in the CMZoo herd and the ninth oldest giraffe in the association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to staff.
“Amani was one of the first giraffe I ever worked with, and I had the privilege of working with her for fourteen years,” Diana Miller, giraffe specialist, said. “Her name means ‘peaceful,’ and it really was the perfect name for her. She had this calm, steady presence, but she also had just enough spice to keep us on our toes. She knew what she wanted, and she would let us know. She had a quiet confidence about her that I really admired.”
Staff say Amani was recognizable by her dark, busy ossicones, which are the horn-like structures on a giraffe’s head.
Caretakers shared with us what Amani’s “Last Best Day” looked like at the zoo. They say they filled it with things she loved, such as her favorite snacks, taking lettuce from guests, and spending time with another giraffe she had bonded with, Lakeshia.
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