Giraffe calf born July 4 at Dallas Zoo is euthanized after ‘catastrophic’ leg injury

A giraffe calf born at the Dallas Zoo three months ago was euthanized over the weekend following a “catastrophic” injury.

Marekani, whose name means “America” in Swahili, was born July 4 and made her public debut on July 8. She was euthanized Sunday after caretakers found multiple fractures in her leg, the zoo said.

On Saturday, caretakers noticed Marekani walking with a limp, but she exhibited normal behavior by going into the herd’s barn on her own, the zoo said on Facebook.

She and her mother were given a private area so caretakers could watch Marekani, but the team did not see any wounds, severe swelling or other indicators that her leg was seriously injured. She was given pain medication and rested overnight.

The next morning, her limp and swelling were worse, so she was sedated to allow caretakers to look more closely. Staff discovered she had dislocated her right elbow and fractured her radius, ulna and growth plate.

“Due to their large stature and because giraffes bear the majority of their weight on the front limbs, it is nearly impossible to repair an injury like this in a way that is robust enough to stand up to the normal stress of movement and activity,” the zoo said.

The growth plate fracture also meant her bone would never be able to grow correctly and that she would’ve suffered orthopedic deformities, arthritis and lifelong pain.

“Sadly, injuries like this are catastrophic for giraffes, and there was no hope of recovery,” the zoo said. “Given this prognosis, the team made the incredibly difficult decision to humanely euthanize Marekani.”

The zoo said it doesn’t know how Marekani was injured.

“As with any event like this, we will use this as an opportunity to evaluate every element of the situation and identify any changes we can make to prevent future incidents,” the zoo said.

Marekani is the third giraffe calf to die at the Dallas Zoo in recent years.

In 2019, 1-year-old Witten died while under anesthesia. Four years earlier, a 3-month-old calf named Kipenzi died after breaking three vertebrae in her neck when she crashed into a wall in her habitat.

Staff at the Dallas Zoo previously told The Dallas Morning News that the habitat and behind-the-scenes area were updated following those deaths to prevent similar incidents.

For example, the area where giraffes are put under anesthesia was changed to allow staff to better monitor an animal’s vitals, and the fencing of the habitat is now more visible.

The Dallas Zoo said Marekani will be dearly missed.

“Although she was only with us for a short time, Marekani captured the hearts of Zoo staff, guests, and the public alike,” the Facebook post said.