Jazz, the baby giraffe who made headlines for befriending a dog after being abandoned in the wild, has sadly died.
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The young calf died as a result of hyphema (blood pooling in the eyes) and a brain haemorrhage at a South African wildlife rehab centre on Friday, 7News reports.
Jazz made headlines back in November 2019 for the extraordinary bond he shared with wildlife centre guard dog, Hunter.
This adorable duo won hearts all over the world. What more could you ask for? Animals becoming unlikely friends is what I live for, and Jazz and Hunter’s story was truly heartwarming.
“Our team is heartbroken,” a Facebook post from The Rhino Orphanage said. “The last two days before we lost him, Jazz started looking unstable on his legs and very dull, almost like he wasn’t registering everything.”
Jazz the giraffe arrived at The Rhino Orphanage in South Africa just days after birth, with his mother likely abandoning him due to his health conditions.
The orphanage also explained that Hunter appeared to realise something was wrong with Jazz, and refused to leave his side prior to his death.
Thankfully, Jazz’s death proves that his mother wasn’t just a heartless creature, and likely abandoned him because she could sense his weakness.
“So we finally know that Jazz didn’t have a bad giraffe mother that left him, she just knew. As proven to us so many times before, nature’s mother’s know. But we still have to try every single time no matter how hard it is.”
In even more heartbreaking news, Hunter the dog continued to sit in the doorway of the now-empty room for hours following Jazz’s passing.
“Hunter is doing well. He stayed till the end and said his goodbyes,” the Facebook post read. “Such a good boy.”
You can read more about The Rhino Orphanage’s work or donate to the cause on their website.
Rest in peace Jazz the giraffe.
