Giraffe at zoo in AZ dies. They think it ate oleanders.

[lonestarnot]

Fucking A. :( Someone fed it oleanders.

Giraffe at AZ zoo dies in 'horrible' accident
Posted: Jul 20, 2011 1:46 PM MST
Updated: Jul 20, 2011 3:18 PM MST
By Phil Benson - email

TUCSON, AZ (KPHO) - A male giraffe at Tucson's Reid Park Zoo has died in what zoo officials are calling a "horrible and unfortunate" accident.

Zoo Administrator Suzan Basford says there is reasonable cause to believe that the nearly six-year-old giraffe ate toxic oleander leaves.

It is a typical practice of zoos to feed animals green trimmings from surrounding vegetation and there are standards and protocols in place to ensure the trimmings are safe for the animals, the zoo said in a news release.

http://www.kpho.com/story/15117578/giraffe-at-az-zoo-dies-in-horrible-accident

[Ptah]

1. Giraffe is 5th Reid Park Zoo animal to die in a year

http://www.kvoa.com/news/giraffe-is-5th-reid-park-zoo-animal-to-die-in-a-year/

TUCSON - The death of a male giraffe at Reid Park Zoo marks the fifth
animal to die at the Tucson zoo in the past 12 months.

In December, Boris, an 11-year-old polar bear died after a routine
medical procedure. Last October, Kitabu, an 18-year-old African lion,
died months after suffering a stroke. Last August, a zebra named Abbey
was euthanized due to health issues, and last July, Zibulo, the zoo's
37-year-old male white rhino died from age-related issues.

[lonestarnot]

2. I'm sorry, but I hate fucking zoos! All of them! Almost as badly as I hate the circus.

[WingDinger]

3. I'm sorry , but that is ignant. Breeding programs at leading zoos are crucial.

So is the motivation they breed, for the survival of said beasts.

[lonestarnot]

4. They can do that without a fucking zoo. And you might want to learn how to spell ignorant.

:7

[aquart]

6. No, they can't do it without the fucking zoo.

The zoo is the only place endangered animals can safely fuck.

[lonestarnot]

8. Oh bullshit.

[alphafemale]

5. Why would they have oleander (or anything toxic) planted anywhere on the zoo property?

A visitor even, could break off leaves and feed it to animals.

The risk is just way too high on that one.

[Kali]

7. oleander is pretty ubiquitous in warm climates

normally animals won't eat it, but it doesn't take much to kill them if they do

[Ptah]

9. I don't know the answer to that.

From what I've seen and read, the Zoo is staffed with caring professionals.

This is a surprise to me.