Baby giraffes are some of the most adorable creatures on the planet, and baby Hasani is no exception. Hasani, whose name means ‘handsome’ in Swahili, was born in April 2019 at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.
When little Hasani tried to walk for the first time, the zoo veterinarians realized he had a rare foot condition called hyperextended fetlocks.
This condition has caused Hasani’s rear feet to go out of alignment. This condition typically affects horses, but it can also affect giraffes since their hooves are very similar.
The zoo wanted to help Hasani learn how to walk, and so they decided to make him a customized pair of shoes. The shoes are made out of wood, and they look absolutely adorable on Hasani!
Once the shoes were ready, the zoo officials gave them to Hasani to try out. The giraffe loved them!
The zoo officials also decided to make Hasani a pair of stronger, more durable shoes that were made out of metal. They said that these shoes would give the giraffe more support and stability as he walked around more.
“This will be better for walking outdoors on wet ground and will allow him to exercise more, which is critical to his development,” zoo veterinarian Dr. Tim Storms said in a statement.
The zoo also gave Hasani braces to wear. The braces and shoes have both been very helpful, and the giraffe is doing much better. Still, though, Dr. Storms says the giraffe has a ways to go until he’s walking completely normally.
“While we are happy with Hasani’s response so far and these new shoes, he’s not out of the woods yet. His condition is still guarded and we’re keeping him under close observation. We’ll continue assessing the best course of action to help him walk and grow normally, and to find a good balance between supporting his limbs and strengthening his tendons,” Storms said.
Hasani and his mom Olivia are staying in their barn, away from the public, while they recover. Still, Hasani has already started gaining fans. One little girl left some band-aids
outside his pen. She also left a note that read:
“Please let him know that he has young friends with big hearts rooting for him.”
Other than his foot condition, Hasani is very happy and healthy. He’s also growing rapidly—he weighed 150 pounds when he was born and now weighs 180 pounds. Hasani already towers over the zookeepers, and he’s still just a baby. Soon, the zookeepers are hoping that they’ll be able to bring Hasani outside.
“Baby giraffes are typically outdoors by the time they’re a week old,” explained mammal curator Martin Ramirez, “so we hope to begin giving him access to the outdoor corral sometime this week so he can get exercise. These outdoor sessions will be very brief at first for controlled periods of time. We will not be able to predict what time of day or how long he and mom are outdoors during these initial periods.”
Hasani is a cute baby giraffe who has an adorable pair of shoes! If you want to learn more about Hasani and his treatment, check out the video below.
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