Giraffe that died at LI Game Farm without heat, proper diet: USDA

MANORVILLE, N.Y. — Bobo, the beloved Long Island toy farm giraffe who died last October, was hypothermic and malnourished, according to a report from the United States Department of Agriculture.

The USDA inspection report, issued Jan. 30, said the 3-year-old giraffe, which died of heart failure, was not given adequate heat or proper nutrition.

Long Island Game Farm did not respond to a phone request and email seeking comment.

A few days before he died, a “Bon Voyage” party was held in September for Bobo, a popular member of the Long Island Game Farm family, who was about to leave for the cold winter months and head to a warmer climate.

But the plan was that Bobo the Giraffe would come back soon and be able to live year-round on the farm. The Long Island Game Farm fundraising event was presented by the Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability, Inc., the new non-profit arm of the game farm.

Funds from the event were raised to support the construction of a heated and air-conditioned giraffe house large enough to house two giraffes and provide year-round public programming to raise awareness of endangered species.

When Bobo died, Long Island Game Farm President Melinda Novak said, “We are so saddened. We loved Bobo beyond measure and he was so good at the park. We have been working hard to find a permanent home for him here. I will miss Bobo terribly.”

On Tuesday, John Di Leonardo, president and executive director of Humane Long Island and an anthropozoologist and wildlife rehabilitator, said he believes “Long Island Game Farm seriously violated the federal Animal Welfare Act by failing to provide Bobo with adequate heat and also broke the law by failing to provide the 3-year-old giraffe with proper nutrition in the months leading up to his untimely death from heart failure.

He added: “Contrary to statements from Long Island Game Farm calling Bobo's death 'sudden' and 'unexpected,' the USDA inspection report reveals that Bobo suffered from a heavy parasite load and poor body condition for at least two months ago Bobo's autopsy showed “serous fat atrophy,” also known as “starvation marrow,” related to “malnourishment” and lack of adequate heat, Di Leonardo said.

“In the wild, Bobo the giraffe would have roamed up to 100 square miles of African grasslands and open forests, shared a complex social life with a herd of his own species for 25 years, and spent many hours of the day and night roaming for leaves, shoots and fruit from tall trees,” Di Leonardo said. “But at the Long Island Game Farm, Bobo was essentially starved and frozen to his untimely death at just three years old. Abducted from his family and hired for public interactions, Bobo died alone, confined to a narrow enclosure without other giraffes or even a tree.”

Di Leonardo said his organization planned to investigate the $568,000 grant awarded to the toy farm by Suffolk County as part of the JumpSMART Small Business Investment Program last year.

Di Leonardo added that Humane Long Island will file complaints with the Suffolk County Health Department and the IRS about Bon Voyage Party “taking advantage of the sick baby giraffe in its last weeks of life.”

According to the USDA report: “On October 2, 2023, a 3-year-old male giraffe died following a period of increased rain and reduced temperatures in the area. The giraffe had been receiving veterinary treatment for a heavy parasite load and poor body condition for approximately two months.

“According to meteorological records, the minimum temperature during the period immediately preceding the giraffe's death was 53 degrees Fahrenheit, and the total rainfall over a 3-day period was 1.16 inches. At the animal's autopsy, several locations showed serous fat atrophy .Findings related giraffe deaths due to energy-deficient diets and cooler feed temperatures and temperature-controlled barns were associated with increased survival of giraffes in such conditions, but not insulation around the chest, or indoor temperature gauge This item fixed on 2 October 2023, the facility no longer has a giraffe is suitable for the species housed before acquiring another giraffe.”

Regarding diet, the USDA report stated: “A 3-year-old male giraffe had been under veterinary treatment for a heavy parasite load and poor body condition for approximately two months. The giraffe's regular diet did not include high-energy browsing. The facility followed guidelines feeding by the owner of the giraffe, which included lettuce, carrots, second cut hay, and a pellet diet, the poor body condition of this giraffe was noted Item corrected on October 2, 2023, the facility no longer has a giraffe.

In early October, staff at Long Island Game Farm in Manorville said they were devastated to learn Bobo had died suddenly.

“Long Island Game Farm is saddened to announce the sudden death of their beloved giraffe, Bobo,” a statement said. “Bobo died unexpectedly on the morning of Oct. 2 from heart failure, according to game farm veterinarian Dr. Benjamin Haar. The three-year-old giraffe was under routine care for parasites, which is common in giraffes. A necropsy examination is being coordinated and the results may last several months.”

John Di Leonardo, president and executive director of Humane Long Island and an anthropozoologist and wildlife rehabilitator, said he believes the giraffe should not have been kept at the facility or any similar farm.

He added that he believes: “In roadside zoos like the Long Island Game Farm, giraffes are confined to a tiny fraction of their natural range and are denied opportunities to engage in their most basic behaviors, including using their fantastically long tongues them to explore the world. in search of food This type of chronic deprivation can lead to abnormal behaviors that are clear signs of psychological distress and frustration, including abnormal pacing and repetitive, compulsive tongue movements, as observed by both Bobo and Clifford—the Long Island giraffe. Game Farm was rented before him.'

Long Island Game Farm responded to Di Leonardo's remarks. “In response to Mr. Di Leonardo's opinion about zoos, we would like to express that everyone at Long Island Game Farm is saddened by the sudden loss of Bobo and it is disappointing to see animal rights extremists exploiting this to promote their own agenda.”

LIGF added: “We understand that Mr Di Leonardo does not like zoos, but millions of people do, and for many of them zoos are the only chance they have to see giraffes and other animals up close. We stand by our care for Bobo and all of our animals, and look forward to continuing to share our animals with the thousands of New York families who visit us each year.”

In addition, LIGF said, “The majority of animals at Long Island Game Farm have been rescued, rehabilitated or re-homed. We never take animals directly from the wild – we work in the zoo community across the country and often take in animals where other they have a surplus or can't take care of them Bobo was well cared for and loved at the game farm, and we were working to build a heated giraffe house to keep Bobo and another male giraffe on the farm. He is terribly missed.”

Long Island Game Farm added that the facility is a member of the Zoological Association of America.

“The toy farm also carries USDA Aphis Animal Welfare Act, Suffolk County Health Department Petting Zoo, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and Dangerous Animal permits,” a statement said. “Our dedicated staff and volunteers regularly attend training courses through various organizations such as the San Diego Wildlife Academy and the American Zookeepers Association, as well as the non-profit Zoological Society of America. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of animal care and the goal is to educate the public about the various species of wildlife that call the game farm.”

The staff mourned the loss of Bobo.

“Bobo was such an important member of our zoo family,” said Game Farm Director Greg Drossel. “His presence created so many lasting memories, not only for the staff, but for all the guests he touched with his kind nature.”

A spokesman for Long Island Game Farm said last year that he is also a supporter of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation's efforts to ensure a future for all giraffe populations in the wild. the game farm also donated a portion of ticket sales that week to the nonprofit, event organizers said.

Di Leonardo said last year that he would like to see change. “If Long Island Game Farm cares about giraffes, it will stop renting and parceling them hundreds of miles into an unsuitable climate and commit to using the newfound space to expand an existing enclosure for one of the many other tight his animals. “

He added Tuesday: “It's too late for Bobo, but it's not too late for the other animals suffering in roadside zoos like the Long Island Game Farm. Humane Long Island urges the public to honor Bobo by pledging never to go to a roadside zoo or any place that exploits animals for entertainment.”