Chennai, Apr 8: A male giraffe died at Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, Chennai on Thursday night. The 20-year-old fell into a deep trench and asphyxiated to death inside the zoo. The Vandalur zoo officials buried the critically endangered animal on Friday after conducting an autopsy.

According to a Deccan Chronicle report, some zoo officials had pelted stones at the giraffe on Thursday when it loitered outside its caged enclosure. It was animal keepers of the adjacent elephant enclosure who shooed away the giraffe by pelting stones at it.

However, a terrified giraffe ran helter-skelter and slipped into an eight-foot-long slope filled with water. Reportedly, the senior animal keeper, trained to handle the animal, was on leave. Initially, they tried to get the animal out using rope and rubber tubes but later had to bring in a crane. Unfortunately, by that time, the giraffe had died.

The Hindu quoted zoo officials as saying, "Rahman, a 20-year-old giraffe, fell into an eight-foot-deep trench inside its enclosure and suffered serious injuries. The zoo’s animal keepers used a crane to hoist the animal out. It was then shifted to the zoo hospital, where the doctors declared the animal dead at 11.50 p.m."

As per reports, Rahman was brought to Vandalur along with 22-year-old female giraffe, Ayesha. They were brought from the Alipore Zoological Park in West Bengal in 1998. Ayesha is currently missing her companion since last night. Both the animals were normal until the accident that happened last night.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 08, 2018 09:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).