Kipekee’s Cause Of Death Revealed

We now know what killed Kipekee, the special giraffe at Bright’s Zoo that passed away last year. Kipekee became a worldwide phenomenon when she was born at the zoo and was the only stripeless giraffe in the world.

In November of 2025, Kipkee passed away unexpectedly at the age of two. Bright’s Zoo has now announced the results of a necropsy that was performed on Kipekee. The results showed Kipekee was born with a congenital liver disorder that affected the blood vessels in her liver. Veterinarian staff at the zoo posted on social media “Because of this developmental condition, her liver never functioned normally, and her body was unable to properly process nutrients and maintain healthy reserves over time. Although this condition had been present since birth, her decline occurred rapidly in the end. Despite close monitoring and veterinary care, this was not something that could have been prevented or corrected.”

Kipekee was believed to be the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe on the planet when she was born in July of 2023. People came from all over thee world to see the special giraffe at Bright’s Zoo.