TULSA, OK,
-- Two female giraffes have arrived at the Tulsa Zoo and are settling into their new home in the zoo’s African Savannah.
The first to reach Tulsa was the 9-year-old female from the Santa Barbara Zoo, who arrived October 8th. After a standard quarantine period, she has had a chance to have a meet the zoo’s male giraffe Samburu, or “Sam”. In addition to a new home, she also has a new name, thanks to a naming contest held by the Tulsa Zoo. Votes were cast by the public, and the “California girl” will now go by “Amira”, which means “princess” in Swahili. Amira will now be on exhibit for the public to meet as weather allows.
The second female giraffe, a 5-year-old from the The Wilds in Ohio, whose name is now “Amali” will remain in quarantine due to a neck injury. Amali was not impaired and loaded normally for departure to the Tulsa Zoo. Upon her arrival, a misalignment, or ‘crick’, was noted in the middle of her neck, and it is thought that she injured herself during transit. She has been undergoing treatment by Tulsa Zoo’s Staff Veterinarian, Dr. Kay Backues, since her arrival on October 18th.
“When Amali the giraffe walked off the trailer into her new home she could walk, eat and maneuver normally,” says Dr. Backues.
A giraffe’s neck is designed with strong ligaments and elongated bones that give it the ability to browse higher on trees in the wild than other animals. But the unique support system of the head and neck that gives them this advantage is a delicate alignment that is susceptible to injury by muscle fatigue, or ligament and tendon trauma.
“Amali was initially treated for muscle fatigue and possible soft tissue trauma. We are using medications a human might use if they strained their neck or back, such as non-steroidal ant-inflammatories similar to ibuprofen, muscle relaxers, pain relievers (analgesics) and a vitamin supplement,” said Dr. Backues, “These treatments have appeared to make her more comfortable, but further diagnostics are being planned to determine the extent of the injury”.
Other veterinarians, who specialize in large exotic hoofstock medicine, including the veterinarians from Amali’s home zoo in Ohio, have worked with Tulsa Zoo staff to help determine the best plan of treatment.
“Our animal care staff is providing the best care possible for Amali,” said Terrie Correll, Tulsa Zoo Director, “further diagnostics, such as x-rays, may better determine the course of treatment. However, a giraffe, unlike a human with a similar injury, is not going to ‘take it easy’ or ’stay off’ of an injury.”
“Even with diagnostics such as x-rays, we still must accept that there may be no definitive, physical treatment for her injury,” said Dr. Backues. “We are taking her treatment one day at a time, and while her current condition is stable, her long term prognosis is still unknown”.
Amali, whose name translates to “hope” in Swahili, will remain in quarantine and under veterinary care as the Tulsa Zoo develops options for her treatment. She continues to function and act normally and it is hoped after more recovery time, she, too, will join the rest of the herd on exhibit.
Giraffes are inhabitants of the savannahs, grasslands and open woodlands of Africa ranging throughout sub-Saharan Africa. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Tulsa Zoo participates in AZA’s giraffe conservation breeding program.
