Mara

Mara (born 1987 in Topeka, Kansas, died July 7, 2010 in Birmingham) was a female reticulated giraffe at the Birmingham Zoo. Mara had been at the Zoo since 1988, and was the mother of Bond, a male born in 1999, and Miss Ellie, a female born in 2000. Mara's 22 years was longer than the average giraffe's lifespan in captivity, which is usually 17 to 20 years.

Mara had been under medical care for the last six years of her life. She was euthanized after a medical examination determined her outlook was "uncertain and bleak."

References

• Thornton, William (July 7, 2010) "Birmingham Zoo euthanizes 22-year-old giraffe, Mara, because of health problems." Birmingham News