A giraffe at the Dallas Zoo has been euthanized after a jaw injury made it “nearly impossible for him to eat,” according to a social media posts from the zoo on Monday.
It’s the sixth giraffe to have died at the zoo since 2015.
“With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of our 15-year-old giraffe, Ferrell,” zoo staff posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. "This sudden loss has left us all completely heartbroken. We kindly ask that you keep our staff in your thoughts as we navigate through this challenging time.”
The zoo staff reported that “Ferrell injured his jaw in an “unexpected fall in the barn.” The injury “required veterinary attention and a surgical consult.”
“During the procedure, the team discovered he had dislocated his jaw in such a way that surgery could not repair it,” according to the zoo’s social media statements. “Jaw dislocations, even in smaller animals, are difficult to treat, but the size and anatomy of a giraffe hindered any type of reasonable repair.”
The injury meant Ferrell faced limited used of his jaw and his tongue, according to zoo staff, “making it nearly impossible for him to eat.
“Given this prognosis, and the impact on Ferrell’s quality of life, the team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Ferrell on Sunday…” zoo staff reported.
Three giraffes died at the zoo in 2021 — two adults called Auggie and Jesse, and a 3-month-old calf known as Marekani.
A 1-year-old giraffe called Witten died in 2019 while under anesthesia for a health examination.
And Kipenzi, a baby giraffe whose birth was streamed live in 2015, died a few months later after suffering a neck injury.
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