The sudden death on Wednesday (26) of Quebecois Giraffe, a rare two-year-old giraffe whose lack of spots made her internationally known, led Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, to open an investigation to clarify the cause of the unexpected death. The Foundation confirmed, in a statement, that it is working alongside veterinarians, consultants and experts from the University of Tennessee to investigate the case.
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The university’s medical team will perform a full necropsy, a process whose results, according to zoo director Daniel Bright, should be published within three to seven days. He told WJHL he received “a lot of condolences” and that new information will be shared once the report is ready. He added: “We hope that by mid-week we will be able to understand what happened.”
Quebecie was born on July 31, 2023, and is believed to be the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe known in the world at the time. The unusual appearance – unlike other cases already recorded, in which animals were born completely white – caught the attention of experts, who were unable to explain the origin of this characteristic. The name giraffe in Swahili means “unique”.
The international ramifications since its birth have, as its founder Tony Bright highlighted at the time, helped spark discussions about the conservation of the species. According to data released by the zoo, the population of reticulated giraffes declined from about 38,000 individuals to half that number between 2008 and 2018. The foundation also states that 40% of wild giraffe populations have disappeared in the past three decades. It is worth noting that these animals usually live up to 25 years of age.
Quebecois’ death caused a sensation among staff and visitors. The team said in a statement that the giraffe “touched the hearts of millions of people around the world” and that she “deeply loved her caregivers.” Netizens on social media expressed their regret for not being able to visit it in time, describing the animal’s temperament as “calm and calm.”
Brights Zoo requested privacy while dealing with the loss, and stressed that it remains committed to spreading awareness about the importance of protecting giraffes in the wild.