Heartbreaking: Dallas zoo compelled to euthanize 15-year-old giraffe, know why

The Dallas Zoo announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Ferrell, a 15-year-old reticulated giraffe, was euthanized on Dec 31 after undergoing surgery to address an injured jaw. The zoo disclosed that Ferrell sustained the injury from an unexpected fall in the barn. Despite efforts to repair the jaw, it was discovered during the procedure that the dislocation was too severe to be fixed.

The zoo explained that treating jaw dislocations in animals is challenging and the giraffe's size as well as the anatomy presented significant obstacles to any feasible repair.

"Due to this injury, he faced limited use of his jaw and tongue, making it nearly impossible for him to eat," said the zoo.

"Given this prognosis and the impact on Ferrell’s quality of life, the team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Ferrell on Sunday, Dec. 31," the zoo added.

The zoo expressed being "completely heartbroken" by the sudden passing of Ferrell and requested thoughts for their staff during this difficult period.

Prior to Ferrell's demise, the Dallas Zoo noted a six-member adult reticulated giraffe herd. The remaining adult giraffes in the zoo are Tebogo, Katie, Chrystal, Five and Kendi.

In March, Chrystal gave birth to a 131-pound baby girl named Kora. During that time, the zoo reported that the calf's father, Tebogo, and half-sister Nea observed her from a distance immediately after her birth.

With Ferrell's loss, the Dallas Zoo has now mourned the departure of six giraffes in the past decade, including Jesse, Auggie, and Marekani in October 2021, Witten in June 2019, and Kipenzi in July 2015.