Miami, Sep 13 (EFE).- The Miami Zoo announced this Friday that ‘Garbanzo’, a male giraffe born at the center on November 19, 2022, appears to be recovering well from a surgical intervention he had on Wednesday, September 11, in which he was sterilized.
As part of the procedure, for his transfer to another facility of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), several operations were performed according to a carefully planned preventive medicine program.
Sterilization was the main objective of the immobilization since, like domestic cats and dogs, sterilization and castration are crucial tools in the management of exotic animals under human care.
Two factors influenced the decision to neuter ‘Garbanzo’, one because his genetic lineage is already well represented in zoos across the country, making breeding unnecessary, the second is because he will join a herd that includes intact males with less diverse genetic pools, the zoo’s statement said.
Neutering helps prevent potential aggression with intact males and ensures that offspring are sired by males with less common genetics.
Immobilizing a giraffe is one of the most challenging and risky procedures in veterinary medicine because it requires an experienced team of professionals, with each member playing a critical role, the statement said.
Several procedures are performed simultaneously, to minimize the time the animal spends under anesthesia, such as drawing blood, trimming hooves, administering vaccines and vitamins, and a complete wellness exam.
During anesthesia, mechanical massagers are used to stimulate blood flow, focusing on various pressure points.
Since castration is a surgical procedure, Garbanzo was given antibiotics and pain medication to keep him comfortable during recovery.
Today, Garbanzo has rejoined the Zoo Miami herd and appears to be recovering well, eating and behaving normally.
Zoo Miami has contributed significantly to giraffe conservation efforts in Africa and continues to support these initiatives through the Zoo Miami Conservation Fund.
