DENVER — A two-year-old giraffe, Kazi, died Thursday at the Denver Zoo from breathing complications.
The giraffe was undergoing castration so that he and another male giraffe would get along peacefully, according to Denver Zoo. During the procedure, he had breathing difficulties. As he was recovering from anesthesia, he stopped breathing. The Animal Health team said they did everything they could and performed CPR.
Kazi was transferred from the Milwaukee Zoo to the Denver Zoo in September to be a social companion for a giraffe named Dobby. He quickly settled into his new home and bonded with his Animal Care team and the other giraffes, according to Denver Zoo. The 10-foot-tall giraffe was laid back, social and engaged with guests.
Giraffes typically live 25 years in the wild and longer in captivity, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
