Giraffe Will Go Through 'Risky' Procedure At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo To Treat Ongoing Health Issues
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) -- A 16-year-old giraffe named Mahali will go through a "risky" procedure as animal care specialists work to treat some ongoing health issues. Animal care specialists say Mahali has arthritis and fractures in his feet, "which he's recently indicated have become painful."
Zoo officials say they've treated similar conditions before -- with special shoes and stem cell injections -- but Mahali has recently regressed in his training and isn't allowing them to attempt those treatments.
"We've exhausted all of our usual treatment options. This means we are now gearing up for an anesthetization to immobilize and treat Mahali," officials stated Wednesday.
The VP of Mission and Programs, Dr. Liza, and Giraffe Animal Care Manager, Jason, explained that giraffe anesthesia is risky but say it is in Mahali's best interest in this case.
"As you can imagine, when you're doing anesthesia on a patient weighs a ton - literally - and can be 17-feet tall, there's a lot to figure out and a lot of logistics to consider," Dr. Liza said on Facebook on Wednesday. But officials say they're taking every possible precaution.
Zoo officials say Dr. Liza has supported about 70 immobilizations in the wild -- and this isn't Mahali's first immobilization either.
"The team treated him for similar issues in 2017 and saw a marked improvement," officials stated. "Based on the initial progress Mahali made after his last immobilization, his care team feels this treatment plan is the best option to address his current hoof maintenance and the recently discovered additional fracture."
The team plans to trim his hooves, give him a stem cell treatment, and potentially give him special shoes.
The zoo said officials would provide an update on Mahali's treatment and condition next week, on Wednesday.
