The Brevard Zoo announced the death of their 9-year-old giraffe, Floyd.
On Tuesday, zoo officials said they euthanized Floyd after the giraffe had been experiencing health issues dating back to its infancy, according to their post on Facebook.
The giraffe had difficulty walking, with symptoms progressing from mild lameness to being unable to put any weight on its right front leg.
Medical staff at the zoo tried to rest the animal, monitoring its health and managing its pain through medications.
“They performed blood and urine tests, radiographs, thermography and hoof exams to identify the cause of his symptoms, all of which didn’t pinpoint the cause of his mobility issues,” the post said.
Staff conducted a full exam and discovered Floyd suffered a significant fracture in his right front foot that resulted in a disruption to tendons in the leg.
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They couldn’t diagnose when or how he received the injury, but believed it was due to health issues Floyd suffered from when the giraffe was younger.
The team tried using custom shoes to support Floyd’s hooves as he healed, but despite the procedure going well, Floyd was unable to stand up after anesthesia.
After several unsuccessful attempts to get the giraffe to stand, they believed it was a “compassionate but difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him.”
Official said Floyd was known for his “sweet demeanor” and that his absence will be “greatly felt on our African veldt.”