Zoo Boise is saddened to report that Julius Longfellow, the zoo’s 11-year-old male giraffe, was euthanized Thursday. Julius fell early in the morning and efforts to get him back up were unsuccessful, so the difficult decision was made to euthanize him.
A necropsy will be performed, but it will be weeks before a final report regarding what led to Thursday’s incident is released.
Julius arrived at Zoo Boise in December, 2008 from the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, Ohio. Private donations covered the costs to purchase and ship the giraffe to Boise. In just two weeks, the zoo received $32,000 in contributions.
The giraffe was named Julius in honor of a donor. He was also given a last name, Longfellow, in recognition of the fundraising efforts of Longfellow Elementary School in Boise.
“This is a devastating day for the Zoo Boise family and the entire Boise community,” said Steve Burns, director of Zoo Boise. “Julius Longfellow was beloved by visitors of all ages. He was a part of our family and we will miss him.”
Zoo Boise still has one male giraffe, Jabari, who is 7-years-old. The hope is to find another giraffe to live with Jabari, but there are no immediate plans at this time.