Giraffe dies in accident at Kansas City Zoo barn

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City Zoo officials said an adult male giraffe died after suffering a spinal cord injury in a zoo barn.

The zoo said on Wednesday the 9-year-old male, named Hamisi, caught his head in an area of the barn that allows keepers to reach the animals. The officials believe Hamisi panicked and damaged his spine.

The Kansas City Star reported Hamisi sired two giraffes last year. He came to Kansas City from Disney's Animal Kingdom in 2016.

Sean Putney, senior director of zoo operations, said the barn was built in 1995. He said no animal had been previously injured in the barn.

The zoo's remaining giraffes are housed in a separate area of the giraffe barn that does not have the same configuration as Hamisi's area.

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com