A 12-year-old Masai giraffe named Hasina died at the Los Angeles Zoo after a medical procedure to deliver her stillborn calf was unsuccessful.
The giraffe went into a 5-hour long procedure with over 30 of the zoo’s staffers on Monday morning, but died suddenly later that night, ABC News reported.
“Hasina had recovered from anesthesia and was doing well, eventually standing and beginning to eat. Still, her situation remained serious… and she unfortunately did not survive,” the zoo said in a statement on Twitter.
A very sad announcement. ???????? pic.twitter.com/b7SIYCnYoT
— Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens (@LAZoo) March 2, 2021
The official cause of death was not immediately released. The procedure Hasina went under was a complicated one due to the length of time she would be under anesthesia and the breech position of her calf, according to ABC News. (RELATED: Polar Bear Killed During Breeding Attempt Gone Wrong)
“Hasina was a healthy giraffe in her prime, so we were hopeful that she would survive,” Dominique Keller, the zoo’s chief veterinarian, said.
Masai giraffes can grow upwards of 17 feet and weigh over one ton. Due to habitat loss and illegal hunting, they are listed as an endangered species, ABC News reported.
Hasina originally came from the San Diego Zoo in 2010 and already mothered five calves. With her loss, the zoo now has four remaining giraffes: Phillip, Zainabu, Sofie and James.