WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Sunday, the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden shared heartbreaking news regarding one of its longtime residents.
The zoo said Isabelle the giraffe, born on Labor Day in 2010, had died at 13.
"In recent months, she faced health challenges, and while we navigate this difficult time, your support means the world to us," the zoo said.
But while the zoo staff and regular zoo visitors are grieving, they're also thankful for the lives Isabelle could save. The zoo said a collection of her blood samples could provide life-saving plasma that contains "essential antibodies and proteins" that can help other animals fight infections and otherwise maintain their health.
The zoo also thanked the Columbia Fire Department for allowing it to use thermal imaging to assess Isabelle's condition.
Officials requested the community join them in honoring Isabelle's memory by remembering the joy she brought to the zoo.
