We are devastated to share that our youngest giraffe, Azizi, was humanely euthanized on Tuesday, May 27 due to a severe developmental deformity in her hind legs that was affecting her growth. “Unfortunately, there was no known cause or cure for Azizi’s condition,” said Dr. Gretchen Cole, OKC Zoo’s Director of Veterinary Services. “We had been monitoring the development of her legs closely and suspected an abnormal formation or growth of her hip or femur bones was the cause. A recent examination and radiographs confirmed that Azizi’s growth plates were prematurely closed and that her condition would only continue to deteriorate, impacting her quality of life.” Knowing that her condition was irreversible, our care teams made the difficult but necessary decision to humanely euthanize her. We are deeply saddened by this loss. Azizi’s name meant precious in Swahili and this sweet, spunky girl was certainly precious to our Zoo family. To read more, visit bit.ly/43l88SN 📷: Caretaker Jessica, Caretaker Kendra, Photo Crew Shea and Photo Crew Tom