Young fighter giraffe exceeds expectations after operation
Challenges of performing surgery in the field, especially with an animal with a long neck such as a giraffe did not deter a determined team of animal experts.
A young giraffe, initially given little chance of survival after a severe leg injury, is now walking with his herd two weeks after undergoing groundbreaking surgery.
The procedure posed a unique challenge, as there was no existing reference for splinting a giraffe’s leg in such a condition.
“There is so little of nature left that we must save whatever we can. That is why we did our very best with the small giraffe to save his leg,” said Dr Willem Daffue from the Kroonstad Animal Hospital.
Daffue led the surgical procedure, using his extensive experience in treating giraffes.
He joined up with a team of the University of the Free State’s Department of Animal Sciences to do the operation.
“Time was critical, as prolonged immobilisation could lead to severe health complications,” he added.
Daffue explained that it is going well with the small giraffe bull after he was operated on in the middle of February.
“He is defying expectations,” said Daffue.
The game farm owner and farm staff report that he is walking with the herd and keeping pace with the others – an encouraging sign that his recovery is progressing well.
The giraffe’s leg was severely damaged. The lower leg was loose and broken, posing a risk that the bones could pierce the skin.
Under sedation and local anaesthesia, the veterinarians cleaned the wound and removed the damaged bone fragments.
They then stabilised the leg using surgical stainless steel pins and reinforced it with a thick splint, supported by PVC pipes for added stability.
The operation occurred on a remote game farm between Dealesville and Boshof.
Daffue said that because of the length of a giraffe’s long neck, it does not breathe easily and this presents a problem during operating on these animals when they are under anesthesia.
Since the giraffe’s trachea is so long and narrow, there is a big volume of dead air inside the giraffe.
However, the giraffe’s breathing rate is about one-third slower than man’s breathing rate to help with this dead air problem. When a giraffe takes a new breath, the old breath is not totally expelled yet. The giraffe’s lungs must be larger to accommodate this old air and still allow its respiratory and circulatory systems to get oxygen to all parts of its body.
Daffue, who has extensive experience working on wildlife as well as giraffes, said if a team is not very careful, a giraffe can easily die when operated on and the animal must be carefully monitored during the procedure.
He explained that giraffes are very valuable as, like so many other wild animals in Africa, they are threatened.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists giraffes as vulnerable to extinction, meaning they face a high risk of extinction in the wild. This is due to a decline in their population caused by human activities. This applies to eight of the nine subspecies of giraffes. The South African species does not fall into this category.
The remarkable mission brought together experts from across the globe to ensure the animal’s survival.
Dr Andri Grobbelaar, a PhD graduate specialising in giraffe healthcare and welfare, told Rekord the small bull giraffe is a real little fighter.
“He also very graciously accepted our help. After the procedure, we observed it must have been a strange feeling to be able to use the leg again but it only took a while and he was on his way.”
Grobbelaar got to love working with giraffes because of the iconic hill in Bloemfontein, Naval Hill, where giraffes can be observed in the reserve on the hill.
“I have just always loved these animals and find them so endearing,” said Grobbelaar.
According to Prof Francois Deacon from the University of the Free State, the farm owner noticed the young giraffe limping with a suspected broken leg.
The timing was fortuitous, as a team of American veterinarians researching giraffe hoof health was visiting the university.
While the exact cause of the injury remains unclear, Deacon speculates that the rough terrain may have played a role.
“The farm has rocky outcrops and uneven surfaces, so it’s possible the giraffe’s leg got caught between rocks or stepped into a warthog hole, leading to the fracture,” he explained.
He pointed out that rescuing a wild giraffe is no small feat, especially in a remote location.
Immobilising the animal safely required refined capture techniques, and a team of five experienced wildlife veterinarians, including experts who had previously published research on giraffe capture techniques, worked together to ensure the giraffe’s well-being.
“The terrain made it difficult to get close enough to dart the giraffe, and once immobilised, we had to act quickly,” said Prof Deacon.
To monitor the giraffe’s progress with minimal disturbance, the team used drone technology, allowing them to track the animal remotely.
Two American veterinarians, Dr Liza Dadone and Dr Steve Foxforth – both experts in giraffe care from international zoo environments – were instrumental in administering antibiotics and advising on hoof care, further contributing to the animal’s recovery.
“If healing progresses as expected, the splint will be removed, and he could have up to a 50% chance of making a full recovery,” said Deacon.
– Click here to see the young bull getting up after the procedure.
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