TEXAS (WJW) — Azizi, the last calf born to popular April the giraffe has died unexpectedly, according to East Texas Zoo and Gator Park.
Azizi was born in March of 2019 at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York. April enthralled viewers worldwide with two live-streamed pregnancies and births.
According to a Facebook post by the zoo, where Azizi went to live when he was old enough, the giraffe died unexpectedly Tuesday after receiving treatment for a parasitic issue.
“The veterinary prescribed regimen of treatments appeared to be working, and Azizi was showing signs of improvement,” the post says. “However, on Tuesday, Azizi was down, and passed during a veterinary examination.”
The zoo said the calf died from a “twisted gut around his cranial mesenteric artery,” adding that the condition “was entirely unexpected and unpreventable.” The artery is the main provider of the blood supply of a giraffe’s intestine.
Animal Adventure Park also posted about the calf, saying his passing is “absolutely devastating.”
The page states: “We know that Azizi’s passing could not have been predicted nor prevented. His loss is absolutely devastating to our team, and he will be loved, missed, and cherished by the global Animal Adventure Park community. This news is heartbreaking, and we extend our condolences and support to the facility that Azizi called home.”