‘Something startled Ozzie’: Beloved giraffe dies after falling at animal sanctuary

LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - Las Vegas’ only giraffe, Ozzie, has died after an early morning fall at the Lion Habitat Ranch.

“In the quiet hours before dawn, something startled Ozzie, causing him to stumble,” a Friday morning Instagram post from the ranch read.

The animal sanctuary staff said they reviewed surveillance video footage that showed something startling Ozzie from his evening nap.

According to the staff, Ozzie fought to rise, and the team rallied around him.

The team said they provided medical care to Ozzie, but he did not survive.

“Ozzie was no ordinary giraffe. He possessed a gentle spirit that touched everyone he encountered,” the animal care team shared. “Our animal care team and Ozzie’s extended family we invite you, our community, to share your cherished memories of Ozzie.”

The Lion Habitat Ranch said the team is waiting for blood test results to also help determine why Ozzie fell.

The animal sanctuary was closed on Friday with signs that read, “Closed due to a family emergency.”

Ozzie was a 10-year-old male giraffe born at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Wichita, Kansas. He came to the Lion Habitat Ranch when he was 8 months old.