Reid Park Zoo’s 15-year-old giraffe, Jasiri, has been euthanized after months of declining health, zoo officials announced Thursday afternoon.
Jasiri had called the zoo home since 2012 and fathered multiple calves. That includes Ndizi, the zoo's youngest giraffe.
“Jasiri’s loss is especially felt by our staff, who went above and beyond to provide the best care throughout his life," Nancy Kluge, the zoo’s president and CEO, said in news release. “I’m grateful for the 14 years Jasiri was at Reid Park Zoo and know that he will be missed by all."
The zoo's veterinary and animal care teams had been treating the male reticulated giraffe for multiple medical issues, including difficulty walking, the release said.
After the procedure, the zoo said Jasiri was improving. But in the days before his passing, he started showing signs of pneumonia. The zoo’s veterinary team began emergency treatment, but despite their efforts, Jasiri’s condition worsened and the decision was made to euthanize him.
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Initial necropsy results confirmed pneumonia as well as other age-related issues common in elderly giraffes, the release said.
"I feel honored to have known and worked with Jasiri for so many years," Julia Beres, the zoo's assistant curator, said in the release. "Seeing him peek at me through the barn window in the morning was a great way to start any day and any opportunity I had to train with him or just watch him felt special. His legacy will live on through his sons Moyo at the Saint Louis Wild Care Park and Ndizi."
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