Baby giraffe born with backward legs given ability to walk

Msituni’s recovery within just 39 days has meant she can rejoin her herd

A baby giraffe born with its legs bent the wrong way has walked properly for the first time with the help of a braceem for 39 days.

Msituni was born at San Diego Zoo Safari Park with hyperextension of the carpi bones that caused its limbs to bend improperly and made it difficult to walk or stand.

Carpi bones in a giraffe act like wrist joint bones in their front limbs.

Zoo workers said it was unlikely the giraffe would have survived without the treatments provided by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Hanger Clinic.

Matt Kinney, a senior veterinarian at the California park, said: “Without these lifesaving braces to provide support, the position of her legs would have become increasingly more painful and progressed to a point she would not have been able to overcome.

“We are so glad to have the resources and expertise to step in and provide this young calf with the opportunity for a full life.

“The birth of every animal is a cherished event, and Msituni’s survival in the face of so much adversity makes it all the more remarkable.”

Hanger Clinic usually provides orthotic and prosthetic care to human patients but made an exception for the young giraffe.

Clinic staff took cast mouldings of the 5ft 10in calf’s legs and used them to create graphite orthotic braces that would fit perfectly and stabilise its limbs. They also covered them with a giraffe pattern.

Hanger Clinic orthotist Ara Mirzaian said: “I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. I’ve never worked with wildlife before – it’s one of those things that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you just have to savour the moment.”

Msituni on 1 February with blood abnormalities and all four legs in irregular positions. The giraffe was treated with intravenous antibiotics and given hoof extenders to fix the position of her hind legs.

However, its unstable front legs took their toll on due to her 5kg birth weight and Msituni was rejected by its mother.

Msituni only needed one custom brace for its front leg, as the other leg corrected itself with a medical-grade brace. After 39 days, all the walking aids were removed. Msituni has since grown to a health weight and been introduced to the rest of the giraffe herd in the east African savanna habitat.

It has been adopted by an adult female, named Yamikani, whose female calf, Nuru, was born four days after Msituni.

Kristi Burtis, director of wildlife care at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, said: “This was an important step in Msituni’s natural development,

“As her bond grows with the herd, she will be able to learn behaviours and skills important to the development of a young giraffe.”

SWNS