Male giraffe at Vizag zoo dies due to ill health

A 12-year-old male giraffe succumbed to ill health at the zoo here after prolonged treatment, said an official on Monday.

The giraffe, Beacon, which died Sunday midnight, was brought to the port city from Negera Zoo in Malaysia in 2013.

''The cause of death is cardio-pulmonary failure as per the post-mortem report submitted by the veterinary assistant surgeon, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park here,'' said Zoo curator Nandani Salaria in a press release.

According to Salaria, Beacon had been under continuous treatment for the past one year and the zoo officials made every possible effort to treat the animal.

Though several national and international expert wildlife veterinarians were also consulted for the treatment of the animal, the giraffe's health had been failing in the past two months and it succumbed.

Incidentally, Beacon was an key attraction at the zoo and its loss has left a huge vacuum, which the authorities are planning to fill by bringing two giraffes from Alipore Zoo in Kolkata, officials said. Salaria said proposals on this front have been submitted to the Central Zoo Authority and the permission is likely to be received.