Just short of turning five months old, Genesis the baby giraffe was euthanized at Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, Illinois.
Genesis, who was born February 10, 2015, suffered an injury to his front left leg when his mom, Mimi, stepped on him a few days after he was born. Zoo officials said in March that they were hopeful that Genesis would not suffer any long-term damage. Genesis made his public debut in May, outfitted with a a custom ankle brace to support his injured tendon.
His recovery, though, was not successful.
"Niabi Zoo's veterinary staff had been providing constant treatment to his injured leg, but after nearly five months he had shown no significant signs of recovery. The healing process continued to be complicated by his rapid growth," said a statement from Niabi Zoo Director Marc Heinzman. Genesis was nearly eight feet tall and weighed several hundred pounds, and he was growing several inches per week. His rapid growth rate also meant surgery was not an option for repairing the damaged tendon.
"(H)e was growing faster than he could heal, in addition to it being nearly impossible to keep him off of that leg after surgery to allow it to recover properly," Heinzman said.
The decision to euthanize Genesis was difficult, Heinzman said, and sad for the staff of the zoo.
“We’re deeply saddened at his loss,” said Heinzman, “but this extremely difficult decision was made for the sake of his welfare. The level of care provided by our animal keepers and veterinary staff was nothing short of exemplary, but the decision came down to our assessment that he is not able to heal properly and was most likely experiencing significant pain as his injury continued to linger.”
Genesis' body was sent to the university of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine for a full necropsy (animal autopsy).