Okidi the Giraffe Calf (2025-2026)
Obituary
Okidi, a young giraffe calf, died following a serious incident in her enclosure at the Detroit Zoo.
Okidi, an almost three-month-old giraffe calf, died at the Detroit Zoo after colliding with a viewing panel in her enclosure. The accident left her spine severely injured, and she was euthanized shortly after. Okidi was born to mother Zara, a seven-year-old giraffe, and father Jabari in the fall.
Giraffes held in zoos suffer physically and psychologically. In the wild, they form intricate social bonds and remain closely connected with their families. In zoos, however, they are housed in unnaturally small groups and frequently traded between zoos. Their enclosures are a fraction of the space they enjoy in the wild and cannot compare to the rich and ever-changing savannahs and grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa.
Fatal falls and collisions are common for giraffes in zoos. Giraffes are herd animals who instinctively bolt when frightened or stressed. Okidi’s death is one of many recent fatalities, including Jabari, a giraffe who bolted and fell at the Racine Zoo in Wisconsin, Ozzie, who startled and fell at the Lion Habitat Ranch in Nevada, Saba, a baby who ran into a fence at the Miami Zoo, Jabari, a baby who broke his neck in a hay feeder at Roosevelt Park Zoo in North Dakota, and Kiko, a giraffe who became caught in a door at the Toronto Zoo.
World Animal Protection urges everyone who loves giraffes to avoid zoos and instead enjoy them in the wild or at an accredited sanctuary.
