Giraffe at Honolulu Zoo dies of old age

STAR-ADVERTISER / 1988
Nairobi the giraffe at age 5 months at the Honolulu Zoo in 1998. The zoo announced that Nairobi, 21, died this morning from complications due to old age.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / 2017
The front entrance of the Honolulu Zoo last year. The zoo announced today that Nairobi, a 21-year-old male giraffe, died from complications due to old age.


The Honolulu Zoo announced that Nairobi, a 21-year-old male giraffe, died this morning from complications due to old age.
Nairobi, one of three resident giraffes, was born and raised at Honolulu Zoo. The two surviving giraffes are Nairobi’s 24-year-old sister, Sabouti, and 19-year-old brother, Squirt. They were also born and raised at the Honolulu Zoo.
Another male giraffe, Ntamo, died in 2003, according to the Honolulu Zoo Society’s website Opens in a new tab.
Giraffes have an average life expectancy of 10 to 15 years in the wild, according to the zoo, and 20 to 25 years in captivity.