Happy birthday, Rafiki: Brevard Zoo’s first giraffe turns 25

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The first giraffe to ever call Brevard Zoo home turned a quarter of a century old on Wednesday.

“It’s not every day a giraffe turns 25!,” zoo officials said. “Happy birthday to the patriarch of our giraffe herd, Rafiki.”

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Rafiki, who moved to the zoo in 2003, has fathered more than a dozen offspring at the zoo and is also now a great-grandfather.

If you’ve visited the zoo’s giraffe platform over the past two decades, you’ve probably met 17-foot-tall Rafiki or at least one of his many children.

Read: Texas zoo mourns death of 31-year-old giraffe

In his advanced age, zoo officials say they regularly treat Rafiki for arthritis, including laser therapy, and acupuncture and chiropractic treatments.

Earlier this month, the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, Texas announced the death of a giraffe named Twiga who lived to be 31 years, 9 months, and 7 days old. Zoo officials claimed that Twiga held the record for the oldest living giraffe under human care.

Photos: Rafiki the giraffe celebrates 25th birthday at Brevard Zoo; look back through the years

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