One of the giraffes at the Dallas Zoo has died.
Dallas Zoo officials say a giraffe named Ferrell died, he was 15 years old. Zoo officials say he suffered an injury to his jaw during a fall in the barn on December 29th.
The Dallas Zoo brought in surgeons to assess his condition. They determined that the injury could not be repaired. They also concluded he would not be able to use his jaw, and that his tongue might need to be amputated in the future.
The animal had lived with a separate jaw injury for several years, but surgeons and zoo officials determined that the new injury would have a substantial impact on his quality of life. They decided to euthanize him on December 31st.
"This sudden loss has left us all completely heartbroken," Dallas Zoo officials wrote on the zoo's Facebook page. "We kindly ask that you keep our staff in your thoughts as we navigate through this challenging time. Ferrell will be dearly missed by all who knew him."
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