The Giraffe in Kruger National Park Can Survive After a Broken Neck or Severe Torticollis.
A young giraffe with a seemingly broken neck was first spotted in South Africa, as reported by Live Science on July 23. Researchers know very little about this deformed animal, including how it was injured or how long it can survive. Travel blogger Lynn Scott captured a photo of the giraffe during a wildlife tour at a private reserve in Kruger National Park, South Africa. According to Scott, who works at the reserve, the animal stood still at the time the photo was taken and moved very little. However, the tour guide did not seem overly concerned about its poor condition.
The giraffe with a deformed neck. (Photo: Lynn Scott)
Some comments under the photo suggest that the giraffe has a broken neck. However, experts emphasize that there is not enough evidence to support this theory. “It clearly has a very twisted neck,” commented Sara Ferguson, a veterinarian and conservation coordinator at the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. “However, without X-ray films to prove a broken bone, we suspect that the giraffe has severe torticollis.”
Torticollis is a syndrome that causes the head to twist and tilt at odd angles, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. This condition can be congenital or acquired as the animal grows due to several causes, including sleeping in an awkward position, herniated discs, muscle atrophy, and spinal infections. In giraffes, torticollis is particularly noticeable due to their long necks. Similar to humans, torticollis in giraffes can arise from various causes such as spinal infections and fractures.
Previously, Ferguson has encountered torticollis in giraffes at zoos and a few times in the wild in Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda. However, she has never witnessed a case as severe as this one and is unsure of the cause. In the past, some wild giraffes have survived with broken necks. For example, in 2015, a photographer spotted a male giraffe with a similarly bent neck in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It had broken its neck in a fight with another male five years earlier.
The giraffe in Kruger National Park may have been injured during a fight. Giraffes often strike and bash their heads together to establish dominance and impress females. However, based on the photos, this giraffe is likely not fully grown, making it too young to breed. It could be either male or female, as it is very difficult to determine the sex of a giraffe at this age. Ferguson is unsure whether the giraffe can recover from its injuries or how the wounds may affect its lifespan.
