WACO, Texas — Cameron Park Zoo announced that it has concluded reports from outside labs to determine the cause of death for two of its giraffes, Penelope and Zuri.
10-year-old Penelope, who died on July 19, appears to have struggled with muscle trauma in the form of exertional rhabdomyolysis, the zoo says.
According to the zoo, this condition leads to the breakdown of muscle tissue and despite treatment, Penelope's condition made it difficult for her to switch from lying down to standing up.
The zoo says Penelope's inability to stand up possibly led to other issues such as further muscle damage, gastrointestinal disease and more.
According to the zoo, this muscle condition is typically brought on by stress and severe physical exertion, but animal care staff had not noticed any stressful behavior significant enough to warrant the explanation.
As for Zuri, Penelope's daughter who died on July 22, the zoo says she suffered from an infection of the gastrointestinal tract, which got to her bloodstream and eventually caused sepsis.
The zoo says despite treatment, the infection spread to the lungs, which caused pneumonia and shock.
According to the zoo, stress may have contributed to this infection as Zuri had lost her mother and was dealing with the transition of being bottle-fed.
Cameron Park Zoo Staff Veterinarian stated, "The Cameron Park Zoo is still mourning the loss of Penelope and Zuri, but this information helps us understand what we were dealing with. It gives me comfort knowing that we provided the best medical care we could under the circumstances."
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