When state officials inspected the zoo’s giraffes back in April, they made a shocking discovery: two of the giraffes that had previously been pregnant had given birth. Their calves were nowhere in sight. In fact, the births were so recent, one giraffe still had afterbirth on its tail, according to court records.
According to wildlife experts, giraffes are supposed to stay with their mothers for at least a year, with some staying longer than that. PETA is now raising concerns about the facility’s practices.
“Removing calves or any animal from their mothers prematurely can cause stress, trauma, and it can result in an increased risk of illness,” said Debbie Metzler, Senior Director of captive wildlife for PETA.
State records reveal a pattern of the zoo breeding and selling giraffes across multiple states, including Texas, California, Ohio and North Carolina. Some animals were sold to companies listed in records as “transport” and “auction”, while one calf was purchased by a California-based company that trains animals for entertainment purposes.
The zoo failed to notify state authorities about the births as required. Documents show individual giraffes can command prices approaching $250,000.
The Virginia Animal Owners Alliance defended the zoo’s breeding program. “Hand-raising has multiple benefits when it comes to daily handling and veterinary care and plays a critical role in the success of the species,” the organization said in a statement.
We’re still waiting on a comment from the zoo owners and their attorneys.
