Premature Giraffe Born Via C-Section Defies Odds at Kansas Zoo

A female reticulated giraffe calf named Milani, born via cesarean section on July 11 at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kansas, is fighting for her life. No known giraffe calf has ever survived a C-section. The mother, Virtue, was euthanized after her organs shut down due to a uterine cyst and advanced heart and kidney disease. Milani was born three to seven weeks early with underdeveloped lungs. Veterinarians from nine institutions, including Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas State University, Columbus Zoo, and the International Center for Giraffe Conservation at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, consulted on the case. The calf receives 24/7 care, including blood plasma from a giraffe named Mili at Dickerson Park Zoo in Missouri, cow colostrum, antibiotics, and steroids. As of late July, Milani is standing and lying down on her own. Reticulated giraffes are endangered, with an estimated 11,048 adults remaining in the wild, making each birth critical for the species.