Giraffe arrives at Tulsa Zoo with injured neck

November 23rd, 2009 • Related • Filed Under

By SARA PLUMMER – Tulsa World

The newest female giraffe at the Tulsa Zoo injured herself while being transported from Ohio to Oklahoma and now has a noticeable crick in her neck that may be permanent, zoo officials said.

Despite her injury Amali, the 5-year-old giraffe from the Wilds zoo near Cumberland, Ohio, is stable and has been eating, moving and interacting with the other giraffes in the exhibit since she arrived on Oct. 18.

She was initially treated with pain and anti-inflammatory medications for the injury. “We have been easing back on those, but making sure she is comfortable,” said zoo veterinarian Kay Backues. “She’s giving no indications she’s in a lot of pain.”

A giraffe’s neck has seven vertebra, the same number found in most mammals, including humans. Because of a giraffe’s neck length, the vertebra are much longer, with a strong ligament along the back of the neck that holds the giraffe’s head up, Backues said.

Because of Amali’s misalignment, the ligament seems to be working against the vertebra.

Despite her injury Amali, the 5-year-old giraffe from the Wilds zoo near Cumberland, Ohio, is stable and has been eating, moving and interacting with the other giraffes in the exhibit since she arrived on Oct. 18. COURTESY

Zoo staff have been monitoring Amali constantly since she arrived and have been training her to go into the restraint chute so X-rays can be taken.

“Once we’ve had some X-rays I’ll feel more positive about a prognosis,” Backues said.

Until those X-rays are taken, staff members don’t know whether Amali’s condition can be treated or if the injury is permanent.

The Tulsa Zoo and the Wilds both conducted an investigation into how the giraffe injured herself.

The transport company has never had an incident before and followed all United States Department of Agriculture best practices by checking on the animal every four hours and every time the truck was stopped. Giraffes are transported in special trailers nearly 20 feet tall with enough space for the animal to walk around.

“The transporter is one of the best in the business and has hauled over 400 giraffes without incident,” said Terrie Correll, Tulsa Zoo director.

Other zoos have had giraffes with similar injuries including the zoo in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Louisville, Ky. Both injuries happened when the giraffes were young and they did not get better as the giraffes developed.

The Santa Barbara giraffe lived a normal life for 21 years, which is within the range of a giraffe’s lifespan. In Louisville, the giraffe had several other health problems in addition to the neck condition that lead zoo officials to decide to euthanize it.

“We’ve seen the two extremes,” Backues said, but staff members remain positive. “It’s obvious there’s something there, but she’s moving around OK, interacting and eating.”

Amali and another female giraffe from the Santa Barbara Zoo, Amira, were brought to Tulsa to hopefully breed with the zoo’s male giraffe Samburu.

But with Amali’s current condition, that plan is on hold.

“Her overall well-being is our primary concern right now,” Correll said. “We’re absolutely focused on getting the best care for her.”

An equine surgeon from Oklahoma State University will visit the zoo this week to do a visual examination of Amali to learn more about her condition if surgery ends up being a possibility.

Surgery on large animals like a giraffe is challenging because of the anesthesia and the difficulty of restraining the animal while it recovers, Backues said.

If Amali’s condition is determined to be permanent, but not life-threatening, she will go on display to the public.

“We want to integrate her with the herd so she can live as normal a life as possible,” Correll said.

Nine-year-old Amira, who also arrived in October, is now out in the exhibit yard and on display.