A Scottish safari park has announced the "devastating" death of one of its giraffes.
Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling shared the news on Thursday afternoon that one of its "beloved" giraffes, Keisha, died "peacefully" at the age of 24 following a period of poor health.
Taking to Facebook, Blair Drummond Safari Park wrote: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the loss of Keisha, one of our beloved giraffes, who died peacefully this week.
"As a result of her recent failing health, our vet team carried out a full health screen yesterday. During this screening, we sadly determined that the best course of action was to put her to sleep."
The giraffe, who was born at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire in 1998, was moved to Blair Drummond in 2012. She became one of the most popular animals at the Scottish safari park, delighting visitors for over 10 years.
Large Mammal Team Leader at Blair Drummond Susan Marshall commented: "We are devastated to announce the loss of Keisha the giraffe. While under the care of our vet team yesterday, it unfortunately became clear that her health was rapidly declining.
"Keisha was born at Twycross Zoo in 1998 and arrived at Blair Drummond in 2012. She was instantly recognisable by her impressive height, standing at 17 feet tall – about a foot taller than most other female giraffes.
"She was well-known for her confident nature and her love of food. Keisha has been a popular member of our family for over 10 years and will be sorely missed by our keepers, members, and visitors, who were all immensely fond of her."
Operations Manager Dave Warren added: "We are indebted to the diligence, sensitivity, and professionalism of our vet team. Keisha’s keepers were present and involved throughout the operation and had the toughest of calls to make alongside our veterinarians, which they did unanimously.
"Sometimes the rational decisions are the bravest to make in the midst of high emotion – I couldn’t be prouder of the squad for this and the care they provided to Keisha throughout her long life."
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