It is with much sadness that we share the news of the recent passing of Mdomo, a 12-year-old giraffe, and Zeeyore, a five-month-old zebra foal. Our dedicated team are heart-broken by the passing of these beloved animals.

Mdomo tragically passed away on Friday afternoon following a general anaesthetic (GA) the week prior. Mdomo had developed a notable lump on her right cheek, suspected to be a feed impaction resulting from an underlying dental issue, and our team observed a gradual decline in her behaviour.

A detailed protocol for the GA was developed over many weeks in consultation with the veterinary team at Rangiora Vet Clinic owing to the risks of anaesthesia, particularly for a large mammal. The procedure involved a multi-disciplinary team of four vets and twenty Orana staff members each with special roles. The procedure went to plan with a full clinical examination carried out, as well as blood sampling, head and dental radiographs, oral inspection and hoof check, though there was no definitive cause identified for the impaction issues.

Mdomo recovered from the procedure well, initially. Two days following the GA her condition declined, and she slowly deteriorated over the week despite multiple vet visits, a treatment plan, and the best efforts of the Orana team. Sadly, her condition worsened on Friday morning and following further vet inspection, the team made the kindest decision to euthanase Mdomo. The post-mortem indicates the cause of decline leading Mdomo’s passing was a significant reduction in gut movement which can be a complication following sedation.

The Orana team, and especially those who worked closely with her, were deeply connected to Mdomo, and are reeling from the loss of this beautiful animal; it will take time to process her passing. Mdomo has been a much-loved member of the Orana whānau since she arrived from Auckland Zoo in 2016. Many thousands of visitors have had the pleasure of meeting her and hand feeding this gentle giant.

The loss of Mdomo is compounded by the devastating passing of Zeeyore, a delightful zebra foal, earlier in the month. Zeeyore was under constant veterinary monitoring since birth and our dedicated animal care team worked tirelessly with Zeeyore to supplement his feed, but he sadly never progressed. The post-mortem revealed that mis-mothering may have been the main cause of his passing. He had a history of failing to thrive since birth and was weaned early by his first time mum, which sadly led to his premature passing. His name was inspired by Eeyore for his gentle, quiet spirit. Earlier this year, we announced the arrival of Herbie and Zeeyore – the first zebra foals to be born at Orana in 30 years. Zeeyore has left a lasting impression on the team, and he will be dearly missed.

Orana Wildlife Park

Orana Wildlife Park is New Zealand’s only open range zoo and is home to over 1000 animals from more than 90 different species including New Zealand’s only gorillas. The Park, which will celebrate 50 years of operation in September 2026, is owned and operated by Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charitable trust. The Trust is committed to the conservation of wildlife diversity on this planet. Our aims, along with being dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and the welfare of our animals, are to provide education, recreation and enjoyment to the public and to support research relating to endangered animals. The Trust is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA) and ZAA NZ.

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