Hate to trouble you with more bad news but another Masai giraffe, Koharu-san, has died at Kumamoto zoo. She was only 11 (about 30 in human terms) and was due to give birth to her second calf in a month when she began to show signs of lethargy, refusing to eat or leave her pen, until she collapsed last night. Veterinarians standing by did what they could but to no avail. A zoo staff member was quoted: “In addition to the burden pregnancy causes, the intense heat might have been a factor.”
With the death of her mate, Riki, last November, this leaves the zoo with a single giraffe - Akihira, now two years old and the sole child of Koharu and Riki. A picture of the three in happier days is shown at the link. - William
