Chased by staff, giraffe falls into trench and dies

While the zoo authorities maintained that the animal died due to asphyxia and regurgitation, sources said that the giraffe, Rehman, was chased by the zoo staff to its enclosure when the animal suddenly panicked and fell head first into the trench. 

“Since both the regular handlers of Giraffe were not on duty on Thursday, other forest staff in-charge of elephants and lions were roped in to keep a watch on the animal. At dusk, the staff attempted to usher the animal to its night shelter. The animal which was unfamiliar with the handlers did not cooperate to move into its enclosure,” an official said on condition of anonymity. 

Impatient, the handlers started chasing the animal and in the process, the frightened giraffe ran and fell into a trench. Shocked zoo staffers tried to lift Rehman out of the trench in vain. Later, they brought a crane and managed to lift the animal out of the trench but the giraffe died around 11.50 pm, sources added. 

However, the zoo authorities maintained that the giraffe fell unconsciously into the trench and died. “The post-mortem report said that the animal suffered asphyxia and regurgitation,” the officials noted in a release.