Giraffe Unexpectedly Dies At Living Desert Zoo; R.I.P. Friendly 'Pona'

PALM DESERT, CA – The Living Desert zoo in Palm Desert today mourned the death of one of its giraffes, Pona, who died unexpectedly overnight.

The 16-year-old male giraffe was born Sept. 22, 2000 at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, but had been with the Living Desert since November 2002.

Zoo officials said a necropsy will be conducted, though an exact cause of death could take months to determine, if at all.

"We cannot find the words to express our sadness about Pona's unexpected passing," Living Desert President and CEO Allen Monroe said. "He was a beloved member of our herd and was known for his gregarious personality. Our animal care team, staff, volunteers and guests will certainly miss Pona and his loss will be felt throughout the zoo. Pona was the first animal I met at the Living Desert, and he will forever hold a special place in my heart."

At more than 18 feet tall, Pona was the tallest among the zoo's seven- giraffe herd. Pona was born Sept. 22, 2000 at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and came to The Living Desert Nov. 2, 2002. He was the zoo’s tallest giraffe and weighed just over 2,000 pounds.

"Pona was an amazing ambassador for his species and an adored member of our zoo family," RoxAnna Breitigan, zoo director of animal programs said. "We are honored to have had the opportunity to care for him and we know the public will join us in mourning this tragic loss."

The Living Desert is home to a herd of seven giraffe. Currently listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable, giraffe populations have declined up to 40 percent over the last 30 years, officials said. Today, there are fewer than 98,000 giraffe in the wild. Native to southern and eastern Africa, major threats to giraffe population is habitat loss and fragmentation, civil unrest, and ecological changes.

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--City News Service contributed to this post/Image courtesy of The Living Desert