Azizi, April the Giraffe's youngest calf, dies at Texas zoo
(Animal Adventure Park)
GRAND SALINE, Texas - Azizi, the most recent calf born to April the giraffe, has passed away due to an "unexpected and unpreventable" condition, zoo officials said.
On Wednesday, the East Texas Zoo and Gator Park said Azizi, who was born in March 2019, passed away Tuesday during his veterinary examination.
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Zoo officials said the calf, who was over a year-and-a-half old, recently received treatment for a parasitic issue and prescribed treatments appeared to be working.
"Azizi was showing signs of improvement. However, on Tuesday, Azizi was down, and passed during a veterinary examination. Post-mortem review revealed a twisted gut around his cranial mesenteric artery, which was ultimately the cause of his death," according to a Facebook post. "This condition was entirely unexpected and unpreventable."
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Animal Adventure Park in New York, where April's births were livestreamed, shared the social media post, writing:
"His loss is absolutely devastating to our team, and he will be loved, missed, and cherished by the global Animal Adventure Park community. This news is heartbreaking, and we extend our condolences and support to the facility that Azizi called home."