File image of a giraffe. The Kansas City Zoo's giraffe, Hamisi, died last week. (iStock, File)
A giraffe at the Kansas City Zoo died Wednesday from what officials said was a "tragic accident."
Hamisi, who had been at the zoo in Missouri since 2016, sustained an acute spinal cord injury in its bedroom, the zoo wrote in a Facebook post on Friday. Officials told The Wichita Eagle that Hamisi apparently got its head stuck in an area of the giraffe barn and panicked.
Veterinarians determined the animal most likely died instantly.
"The entire Zoo is heartbroken and grieving this loss," officials said of 9-year-old Hamisi, who fathered two calves, Dixie and Maxwell, both born last year.
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Hamisi lived in the giraffe barn which was built in 1995, officials said.
They added that they were reviewing the giraffe area and "will make immediate modifications to the area as needed, and also share any findings with other (Association of Zoos and Aquariums)-accredited facilities in hopes of preventing any future incidents."
Their post also stated, "Zoo staff has taken every step to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the rest of the giraffe herd."
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Hamisi is the second animal at the Kansas City Zoo to die this week. Bam Bam, a 31-year-old polar bear, was euthanized after zoo veterinarians found the animal had untreatable liver cancer.
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