In reality, it’s not just humans who suffer from cervical spondylosis; many animal species are also affected by this condition, including the giraffe. Below are images of a wild giraffe in Kenya that has been diagnosed with this ailment.
A giraffe suffering from cervical spondylosis.
There is a comprehensive record of another giraffe named Gemina (July 16, 1986 – January 9, 2008), a Baringo giraffe that once lived at the Santa Barbara Zoo in California.
Gemina was known for her unique neck deformity, with her C3 and C4 vertebrae bent at nearly a 90-degree angle.
Giraffe with a unique neck deformity.
When she was born at the San Diego Zoo, this cervical deformity was not present, but by the time she was three years old, the deformity became more apparent.
Due to her neck deformity, this giraffe had to be fed alone.
For zoo giraffes, Gemina led a nearly normal life, except that she had to be fed alone; her keepers noticed that her tongue was shorter than that of other giraffes, and her peripheral vision was significantly poorer compared to normal giraffes.
X-rays of her neck showed that her vertebrae had fused together, but scientists, zoologists, and veterinarians could not find any explanation for this deformity.
Although Gemina’s neck condition was rare, she lived quite a long life compared to her peers, outliving the average lifespan of a giraffe by six years.
