MELBOURNE, Fla. — Brevard Zoo is mourning the loss of Floyd, a 9-year-old Masai giraffe who was humanely euthanized after ongoing health issues.
The zoo said Floyd had recently been experiencing increased difficulty walking. His symptoms progressed from mild lameness to almost no ability to bear weight on his right front leg.
Veterinary staff had been keeping Floyd on stall rest and treating him with multiple medications to manage pain while monitoring his condition.
The zoo said its team performed blood and urine tests, radiographs, thermography and hoof exams, but those tests did not identify the cause of his mobility issues.
To better understand what was wrong, the zoo’s veterinary team conducted a full-body exam. Zoo officials said that type of procedure requires anesthesia, which can be especially risky for giraffes because of their anatomy.
During the exam, the team found Floyd had a significant fracture in his right front foot, along with tendon disruption in that leg.
Zoo officials said it is unclear how Floyd sustained the injury. He had not been observed jumping, falling or suffering another injury. The veterinary team believes the injury may have been related to health issues Floyd had earlier in life.
The team created custom polyethylene rubber “shoes” for Floyd’s front hooves to support him as he healed.
Despite a smooth procedure, Floyd was unable to stand after anesthesia. The zoo said staff tried several times to help hoist him onto his feet, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
Because Floyd could not bear weight and because there was a strong chance the fracture would not heal, the zoo said the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him.
Floyd had a history of health issues and developmental delays dating back to infancy. The zoo said its veterinary team believes Floyd may have experienced failure of passive transfer as a calf, an immunodeficiency disorder that can happen when a calf does not receive the proper antibodies from its mother’s colostrum in the first days of life.
Floyd was born at Brevard Zoo in 2017 to Johari and Rafiki.
The zoo said Floyd was known for his sweet, calm and goofy demeanor. Keepers also remembered him for his love of food, especially bananas.
“He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed,” said Expedition Africa keeper Morgan.
Zoo officials said Floyd’s absence will be greatly felt on the African veldt.
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