PHOENIX — Makope, a 14-year-old giraffe at the Phoenix Zoo, passed away on Thursday, according to a Facebook post from the Zoo.
"It is with deep sadness that we inform everyone that Makope, one of our reticulated giraffe, passed away Thursday," the post began.
According to the Phoenix Zoo, Makope had been under medical evaluation for the past several months "for difficulty in navigating her surroundings."
Though her condition seemed to improve recently, the Zoo says Makope's health declined a couple of days ago.
"On Thursday, she developed sudden neurologic abnormalities and shortly thereafter passed away on her own," the post reads.
"She was by far our most mischievous and outgoing giraffe," the Phoenix Zoo's post continued. "She was a mainstay at our giraffe deck and a favorite among many for her penchant for reaching trees just outside the exhibit to munch on, being inquisitive about her surroundings and just being a reliable, steady influence on our giraffe herd."
Makope's body will be sent to Midwestern University for a full necropsy. Her cause of death will be determined "pending histopathology reports in a few weeks," the Zoo wrote.
