Giraffe breathes easy with inhaler at Banham Zoo

A giraffe with a chronic nasal condition is breathing easy after accepting a specially-adapted inhaler in her enclosure.

Banham Zoo, near Attleborough, Norfolk, spent three years coaxing Mahiri to show an “extraordinary level of trust” and take part in her treatment to clear her airways.

In what it believes is a first for a giraffe in the UK, the 16-year-old reaches for food in a box while staff trigger her inhalers into the same container.

“Giraffe as a species can be quite nervous of anything new, so introducing medical equipment takes enormous patience and trust-building,” said animal manager Deborah Harris.

“Our keepers adjusted daily routines and worked at Mahiri’s pace to help her feel comfortable.

“The fact that she now calmly accepts her inhaler is a real testament to the bond between her and her care team.”

Mahiri was born in Osnabrück, Germany, as part of a European breeding programme.

Banham said her condition made breathing through her nostrils difficult and was believed to be linked to an autoimmune disorder.

She had previously required a nebuliser, but staff worked every day to train Mahiri to accept treatment voluntarily, which she now did “calmly and willingly”, and without the need for sedation or restraint, it added.