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It says the procedure was planned for months and was being carried out so that Matu could remain in his family group with his mother and sister.

The zoo says the team that was caring for Matu is devastated, and it will be providing staff with access to grief counselling services.

A reproductive science team was able to collect and bank living genetic material from Matu, and a necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of his death.

The zoo says there are fewer than 35,000 Masai giraffes living in the wild after their numbers declined by more than 50 per cent in the past 30 years due to illegal hunting and habitat loss.

This report by °µÍø½ûÇø was first published July 25, 2024.