The Tulsa Zoo has had to put down a 21-year-old giraffe who had a broken bone in his right, front foot.
Zoo officials said Sunday that Samburu, also known as Sam, died on Saturday. He was born at the zoo in 1992.
The zoo says Sam lived longer than average for a male giraffe cared for by humans. He suffered from osteoarthritis.
Officials say Sam, who weighed 2,500 pounds, recently experienced a sharp decline in his ability to move and stand comfortably.
As with horses, a leg injury in a giraffe is difficult to treat because of their size and natural behaviors.
