COLUMBIA, S.C. — Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is mourning the loss of one of their beloved animals.
Over the weekend, the zoo said goodbye to Isabelle, a 14-year-old giraffe.
In a post Sunday, the zoo announced Isabelle had passed, and while the cause of death was not announced, zoo officials told News19 on Monday that she had faced health challenges in recent years.
“The most important thing with our animals is just our daily observations, just checking on the animals and watching what's normal and what's not normal,” said Director of Animals Greg Peccie.
Through those daily observations, zoo staff noticed something wasn't right with Isabelle.
“As we were watching her and trying to figure out what's going on, we were taking a look at her feet, making sure her hoof growth was normal, but then we determined there was a lot more going on with her than we originally anticipated,” Peccie said.
It turned out Isabelle was in need of further extensive care, Peccie said.
“The local fire department had a thermal camera they would use to check for smoldering fires in the building, and they brought that camera, and they were able to share with us some of the images, and we could see where the swelling was and see where the irritation was.”
Unfortunately, that swelling and irritation was extensive.
“We determined she had severe mobility issues that resulted in our inability to get her into a better place long term,” Peccie explained.
Isabelle passed at the zoo on Sunday, and, while the zoo mourns the loss, her plasma will be put into the plasma bank to help future giraffes in need.
“Even sometime in our time of loss, we also have a time of celebration to think about the animals we are going to save down the road,” Peccie said.
The opportunity to treat animals with plasma has been a recent finding and Peccie says the zoo has already helped a young giraffe calf at a partner zoo. “There was an opportunity for this giraffe calf who was very ill, to get this plasma and it actually rebounded really quickly and that giraffe fortunately did survive from that treatment.”
As for the giraffe population at the zoo, there are currently five in the exhibit with more potentially on the way, Peccie said.
“We are going to be looking to get more giraffes, Peccie said. "We have to work with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the giraffe program to determine what's going to make the right move for us.”
And while Isabelle wasn't an old giraffe, her spirit will live on.
“It is sometimes what we have to deal with, but it is nice for us to look at what are the ways we are learning from these animals and able to contribute to the rest of the species," Peccie said. "And to know that it not only benefits the animals here in South Carolina but it is in zoos across the county.”