(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) is mourning the passing of one of its beloved giraffes, Mahali, who was the second-oldest giraffe in the nation. According to CMZoo, Mahali was humanely euthanized on Thursday, April 10, due to age-related decline. At 22 years old, CMZoo sa id Mahali was the second-oldest male reticulated giraffe in Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities in the country. “Mahali changed the way we think about caring for aging giraffe,” said Rick Hester, CMZoo animal behaviors curator. “It’s not often you have the opportunity to work with a male giraffe this old, and once we understood each other, we could try all sorts of accommodations to help him age comfortably.” According to CMZoo, Mahali helped zoo staff further their education in caring for an aging giraffe, as some things that worked for other giraffes didn't work for Mahali as he got older. Courtesy of Cheyenne Mountain ZooCourtesy: Cheyenne Mountain ZooCourtesy: Cheyenne Mountain ZooCourtesy: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo “Mahali had special needs, and what worked for the rest of the herd wasn’t working for him as he aged, so we worked to find the right nuance for Mahali,” Hester said. “When we were together, we were really focused on each other, and Mahali responded well for many years.” Through training and specialized care, CMZoo said it got many extra years with Mahali, allowing him to continue socializing with his herd, eating well, and greeting guests of the zoo. Some of that specialized care came in the form of orthopedic shoes glued to his hooves to help him move around. CMZoo said thanks to Mahali's dedicated team, he spent many of his golden years enjoying quality health and happiness at the zoo. “He had a great last day,” said Jason Bredahl, CMZoo curator of animal environments and former giraffe animal care manager. Jason was present for Mahali’s entire life, the zoo said. “He went out into the yard with an enthusiasm we hadn’t seen in a few days. He soaked up the sunshine and ate lettuce and tree branches while socializing with his herd and our guests. We’re proud of the ‘bonus years’ we’ve been able to give Mahali, and we’re grateful for all the guests he has inspired and animal welfare he has taught us. It’s always hard when we know it’s time to say goodbye, but it’s also our final act of compassion and stewardship for our animals.” CMZoo said Mahali was the first giraffe calf born in the zoo's current giraffe barn, hours before Mother’s Day in May 2003. As the Zoo makes progress on its giraffe habitat expansion and a new 12,000 square-foot giraffe building, giraffe staff say they will take the lessons Mahali taught them to their new giraffe center, and share with keepers around the world through the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe’s workshops, information sharing and consultations. "Mahali's legacy will live on in every giraffe that gets to live old well," the zoo said. ...read more read less