SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A baby giraffe at the Safari Park had to be euthanized after suffering a gore wound to its stomach, and San Diego Zoo officials believe the injury was likely caused by an antelope.
Over the weekend, the zoo announced that five-month-old Kumi was euthanized on Dec. 29, 2018, due to a gore wound that park officials determined could not be treated.
Because of the severity of Kumi’s injury, officials said, “The Safari Park veterinary staff made the difficult decision to euthanize the young giraffe.”
Zoo officials said Kumi’s fatal injury was likely caused by an antelope that occupied the same East Africa field habitat.
According to officials, “The Safari Park houses numerous species together that would live together in their native habitats, where inter-species encounters also can happen.”
A zoo spokesperson told 10News the death was a rare occurence and said it would not be changing its animal habitats.