TUCSON, Ariz. — Elinor the Giraffe of Reid Park Zoo has died at age 20, the zoo said in a new release posted Tuesday morning.
The zoo said she first showed signs of "respiratory distress" on Sunday and died a day later, despite best efforts of the zoo's veterinary team. She had a history of breathing problems in the past, the zoo said.
She was born at Knoxville Zoological Gardens in 1999 and came to Tucson in 2010 when she was 11. Zoo officials say many visitors fed her at the giraffe feeding platform over the years. Her most recognizable feature was her coat, which had spots within her spots.
The zoo says the median life expectancy of giraffes like Elinor is 19 years.
