DENVER — A giraffe at the Denver Zoo has died, officials announced Wednesday.
Zoo officials tweeted that they were "heartbroken to share that Kipele, our giraffe, was humanely euthanized after an acute decline in her health."
Kipele was struggling with mobility issues and was put down Tuesday after her health suddenly declined, according to the Denver Zoo.
The 29-year-old giraffe was born at the Denver Zoo on Aug. 16, 1993. She was one of the oldest giraffes in captivity, zoo officials said.
"Even though we knew our time with Kipele wouldn’t last forever, this loss, like any, is incredibly hard on the staff who provided her with immeasurable amounts of love, care and attention for the past 29 years," the zoo tweeted.
Officials said they will be closely monitoring the zoo's younger giraffes to ensure they are healthy and thriving.
We are heartbroken to share that Kipele, our giraffe, was humanely euthanized after an acute decline in her health. Due to Kipele’s advanced age and mobility issues we were managing, our animal care and veterinary medicine teams have been closely monitoring her quality of life. pic.twitter.com/XqmMSL7L2w
— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) March 8, 2023
