PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island zoo says the oldest Masai giraffe in captivity in North America has died.
Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence says the 26-year-old giraffe named Amber died Tuesday morning.
Amber had lost her sight due to cataracts over the past year. The animal had recently become unable to maneuver properly in her exhibit, leading to the staff’s decision to euthanize her.
The giraffe was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1991. She came to Roger Williams in 1992.
Diane Nahabedian, a spokeswoman for the zoo, says the median life expectancy for a giraffe in captivity is about 17 years.
Masai giraffes, native to eastern Africa, can grow up to 17 feet tall and weigh 1,700 pounds. Nahabedian says three other Masai giraffes remain at the zoo.
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