We’re heartbroken to share that our Zoo’s oldest male giraffe, Doc, has passed away despite our best efforts to manage his ongoing mobility and health issues. This gentle giant was a regular sight at our giraffe platform for decades as one of the original five giraffes to be on habitat when Expedition Africa opened in 2003 – and the only reticulated-Rothschild giraffe in recent years among our tower of Masai giraffes. 

According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) survival statistics, the median lifespan of giraffes is 16.5 for males, meaning that at 22, Doc had well surpassed his life expectancy. While age alone isn’t a disease, Doc had been monitored in recent years for ongoing mobility issues.  

Thanks to modern medicine and welfare assessments, we were able to develop a treatment plan to help him. Pain medication and the regular maintenance of his feet through hoof trims helped manage this and keep him comfortable, but Doc recently showed signs that this course of treatment was no longer working as more symptoms became apparent. We explored novel ways to learn more about Doc’s mobility issues like thermography and even tried to place custom-made polyurethane shoes on his hooves to offer him some support.  

In addition to those mobility concerns, Doc began to show signs of larger underlying medical issues, with symptoms like losing muscle mass, no longer laying down in his stall, sometimes seeming behaviorally off, and nosebleeds. The compassionate and difficult decision was made to euthanize him to prevent future suffering. We hope a necropsy can give us more information on what all was affecting Doc. While saying goodbye to Doc has been difficult, we find comfort in knowing that his time with us was filled with love and the best possible quality of life as we saw him through more “golden” years than the median lifespan of his species would have predicted.

Doc was born on May 26, 2002, at Zoo Knoxville. He has always been a favorite among our animal care team, volunteers and guests.

Some of Senior Africa keeper Cindy Watson’s favorite memories of Doc include his relationship with female giraffe Kumi. The two spent a lot of time together. Cindy remembers Doc manipulating a piece of hanging browse so that he was able to chew one end – and keep the other end just out of reach of Kumi!

“I love how those two would hang out and how Doc was always there for Kumi,” Cindy said. “Kumi seemed to really enjoy Doc’s company and seemed more confident when Doc was around her.”

Doc is remembered among our keepers for so many reasons, but especially for his gentle nature and interest in participating in voluntary training sessions. He was a quick student, kicking off our hooftrim program with our late bull giraffe Rafiki.

Doc was one of the first animal residents Africa keeper Morgan Thums trained and later the first she gave a hooftrim to at the Zoo.

“You could always count on him to be at the platform eating lettuce from guests and when he wasn’t there, he was usually spending time with his ‘girlfriend’ Kumi,” Morgan said. “Doc is one of the sweetest giraffes I have ever cared for, and I am going to miss him greatly.”

We ask that you please keep our Africa keepers and volunteers in your thoughts during this difficult time.