Oakland Zoo is grieving the sudden loss of Zawadi, a young male reticulated giraffe who was found deceased on Monday in the zoo’s giraffe habitat. Animal care staff were alerted to an incident in the habitat and launched an emergency response, but Zawadi had already passed by the time they arrived. The zoo has requested privacy as its animal care teams and staff mourn the loss of the popular giraffe.
Zoo Shares Memories Of ‘Brave, Sweet Boy’
In a Facebook post, Oakland Zoo shared photos and remembered Zawadi as “our brave, sweet boy,” describing him as “highly intelligent” and “remarkably social.” The zoo said the three-year-old, who arrived in 2021, was a devoted big brother to Kendi and loved engaging in playful sparring with Tsavo and Nuru. In the post, staff asked for privacy while they grieve and thanked the public for the support pouring in.
Emergency Response, Few Public Details So Far
Local coverage reports that animal care team members were alerted Monday afternoon to an incident on the giraffe habitat and immediately activated emergency protocols, but found Zawadi had already died, according to ABC7. The station noted that the zoo has not released specifics about what occurred and that staff declined to provide further comment as they continue to grieve.
Youngest Of The Herd, Quickly Bonded With Keepers
Zawadi arrived at Oakland Zoo in 2021 and was the smallest and youngest of the reticulated giraffes, according to the zoo’s species information, where he is described as having quickly bonded with the herd and his keepers. The Oakland Zoo lists the rest of the herd, including Kendi, Nuru, and Tsavo. It highlights the zoo’s conservation partnerships and its GiraffeCam, which allows people to watch the animals remotely…