We are saddened to share the news that Keisha, our beloved giraffe, and the oldest giraffe in the UK, was peacefully put to sleep yesterday afternoon.
Keisha was 24 years old and had recently been experiencing age-related health problems.
As a result of her failing health, Keisha was placed under full anaesthetic yesterday in order to carry out a comprehensive health screen. During this screening, it was sadly determined by our keepers and vet team that putting her to sleep was the best course of action.
Susan Marshall, Large Mammal Team Leader at Blair Drummond said:
“We are devastated to announce the loss of Keisha the giraffe. While under the care of our vet team yesterday, it unfortunately became clear that her health was rapidly declining.
Keisha was born at Twycross Zoo in 1998 and arrived at Blair Drummond in 2012. She was instantly recognisable by her impressive height, standing at 17 feet tall – about a foot taller than most other female giraffes. She was well-known for her confident nature and her love of food. Keisha has been a popular member of our family for over 10 years and will be sorely missed by our keepers, members, and visitors, who were all immensely fond of her.”
Operations Manager, Dave Warren said:
“We are indebted to the diligence, sensitivity, and professionalism of our vet team. Keisha’s keepers were present and involved throughout the operation and had the toughest of calls to make alongside our veterinarians, which they did unanimously. Sometimes the rational decisions are the bravest to make in the midst of high emotion – I couldn’t be prouder of the squad for this and the care they provided to Keisha throughout her long life.”
