The China Post
Date: August 11, 2016
By: Howard Chao ,Special to The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A seven-year-old giraffe has died while being shipped to Leofoo Village Zoo in order to participate in a breeding program Wednesday, with zoo authorities citing a myriad of reasons as causes of its death.

The Taipei Zoo was in the process of shipping the giraffe, Hsiao-chiu, to Leofoo Village Zoo in Hsinchu County when the death occurred. Zoo authorities originally planned to see the seven-year-old giraffe breed with giraffes from different family backgrounds to avoid inbreeding.

According to the autopsy carried out by School of Veterinary Medicine National Taiwan University group, Hsaio-chiu suffered comprehensive hemorrhagic pyogenic pneumonia, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and kidney-related complications. The giraffe also suffered acute muscle injuries.

The medical experts said that the confined shipping environment had led to the giraffe’s muscle injuries, while the pneumonia potentially led to its respiratory problems.

These two factors made it impossible for the giraffe to stand upright by itself and eventually led to its death from exhaustion.     FULL  STORY