KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After months of testing, the Brights Zoo has revealed the cause of death for Kipekee, the world’s only spotless giraffe. Kipekee died in November 2025.
Kipekee was born in July 2023 at Brights Zoo in Limestone. After her death, the zoo said they sent Kipekee to the University of Tennessee for a full veterinary necropsy to figure out why she died so young.
According to UT’s findings, Kipekee was born with a congenital abnormality affecting the blood vessels of her liver, which caused her liver to never function normally. Therefore, her body was unable to process nutrients properly and maintain healthy reserves over time…