Doc is the easiest giraffe to spot on the veldt!

As dedicated Zoo fans, you’re likely on a first name basis with most of our giraffe tower members by now. We wanted to give you a quick update on two of our more senior members of the group.  

Reticulated giraffe Doc, the last remaining of the original five giraffes present when the Expedition Africa loop opened, and Masai giraffe Milenna, the mother of many of our calves over the years, including current residents Greg and Sprinkle, are both geriatric residents. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) survival statistics, the median lifespan of giraffes is 15.1 for males and 20.2 for females, meaning that at 22, both Doc and Milenna have surpassed their life expectancy.  

Milenna is starting to display some mobility issues and moves slowly. She often chooses to stay inside during the day, especially on hotter days. She’d rather spend her days eating hay and browse in the cool barn and participating in training sets than being out on the busy habitat. Doc hasn’t shown the same signs yet, but our animal care team is working to ensure both of their hooves are nicely trimmed and that they’re comfortable around certain tools in case they need custom shoes.   

Milenna has been spending more time in the barn these days.

Our skilled veterinary team also takes the giraffes’ bloodwork every 6 months and evaluates fecal samples monthly. For both Doc and Milenna, mild changes on recent bloodwork were found, and they will be monitored closely. This type of preventative care is incredibly important to stay on top of our animals’ health, especially those who are older.   

“Monitoring is a key component to managing geriatric animals,” said staff veterinarian Dr. Rachel Turner. “I always say that old age is not a disease. We don’t start treatments just because animals are getting older, we target specific issues as they arise.”  

For Milenna, that means dispensing anti-inflammatory drugs as needed (think ibuprofen for giraffes!). Our team is mainly looking out for symptoms of arthritis, hoof issues, and dental disease, all common issues amongst older giraffes.   

Despite their age, these two 22-year-olds are still the leaders of the tower with Milenna as the matriarch. As these two continue to live out their “golden years” with us, we will remain committed to providing them with the best care, as we do for all our Zoo residents from birth to old age. 

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Special thanks to Flammio Financial Group, Stifel-Garvin Wealth Management Group, Artemis IT, and Jim and Darleen Barfield. Their generosity makes our work possible! 

Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.