Animal Adventure Park Mourns Kimara the Giraffe After Sudden Death

Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville is mourning the sudden loss of Kimara, one of its giraffes. If you’ve visited the park, you may remember her greeting guests at The Preserve Safari & Indoor Zoo Experience.

Harpursville Park Announces Kimara the Giraffe Has Died

In a Facebook post, Animal Adventure Park & Preserve announced the unexpected death of Kimara, a female reticulated giraffe. She spent the last two years at the park, where she greeted visitors and helped teach them about her species.

Park owner Jordan Patch said the loss is felt across the whole staff. “While our losses are few, when they occur, the grief is felt deeply amongst our teams, in every department,” he said, adding that this is true no matter the species.

Broome County Giraffe Kimara Arrived After a Difficult Start

Kimara came to Animal Adventure Park through a placement agreement after recovering from a troubled start to her life elsewhere. The park said she had a known history of medical issues and stood shorter and smaller than a typical seven-year-old giraffe.

According to the park, Kimara was shy when she first arrived but grew into an engaging and trusting ambassador for giraffes.

Cornell University Necropsy Seeks Cause of Giraffe’s Death

Patch escorted Kimara to Cornell University, where a necropsy is being performed to find out what caused her death. The park said there was no evidence of injury or serious illness before she died, so the results should help explain what happened.

The park said all of its giraffes receive the same level of care and the same diet. It believes the issue was specific to Kimara and internal rather than something affecting the rest of the herd.

This is not the first time the park has turned to Cornell after losing a giraffe. In February 2025, WBNG reported that the park’s giraffe Johari died at age 20 after six years at Animal Adventure Park.

Animal Adventure Park’s Remaining Giraffes Stay in Its Care

The park continues to care for Oliver, who has lived there since 2015, and his son Tajiri, born in 2017. Nyla, a female giraffe who joined the park a year ago, is also part of the herd.

Tajiri’s birth on April 15, 2017, drew more than 1.2 million viewers on YouTube, which is how people worldwide first learned about the park. The park said it is mourning Kimara, along with its staff and the visitors who knew her.

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Reticulated Giraffes Are Listed as Endangered

Kimara was a reticulated giraffe, a type that the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified as endangered.