More sadness in Hoedspruit giraffe attack saga

The directors of the board of Blyde Wildlife Estate confirmed exclusively to the Hoedspruit Herald on Tuesday that the giraffe cow that was involved in the tragic incident on September 3, where Katy and Finn Williams were severely injured, had been successfully moved to her new destination.

It is with the utmost sadness to announce that the two-month-old calf unfortunately did not survive the relocation process.

The news that the giraffe calf did not survive the translocation process sent shock waves through the wildlife-loving community of Hoedspruit and many questions were raised about the capture process. The most common concern was the heat that was experienced in the Hoedspruit area on the day of the capture.

Katy and her husband Sam. Picture: Provided.

The exact cause of death of the young giraffe has not been released to the media but the Blyde Wildlife Estate do say that all necessary precautions were taken and all legal requirements were adhered to.

The calf definitely wasn’t exhausted either.

According to a reliable source, who wishes to remain anonymous, the procedure was not carried out in the heat of the day, as had been speculated by some concerned residents: “The procedure was all finished by approximately 9am and by then, the temperature was still around 25 degrees celsius. I think everyone was wary of the temperature and that is why it was done so early. The calf definitely wasn’t exhausted either, it did not run far during the process.”

Riaan Cilliers, the estate manager of the Blyde Wildlife Estate said: “We are all devastated by this very sad news.”

Katy Williams and her son, Finn, before the incident. Picture: Provided.

Katy and her husband Sam also responded to the tragic news with the following statement: “Katy and I are deeply saddened to hear the news about the unfortunate death of the giraffe calf during the translocation operation. We understand the translocation team took every possible safety precaution, and it is a shame that accidents such as this can occur during even the most meticulously planned procedures.”

The Hoedspruit Herald attempted to make contact with both the veterinarian and the game capture team that were involved in the translocation process but both were unable to give a comment to the media.

On the positive side, Katy and Finn are both making great progress in their recovery.

The family’s lawyer Marina Botha from Botha & Lovegrove Incorporated‚ told the Herald on Wednesday that Katy is moving to a general ward in the hospital, “If all goes well, she should be out of hospital soon. She has made a remarkable recovery.”

Katy’s son Finn is reported to be stable and no longer classified as critical.

“He still has a long rehabilitation process ahead of him, which they have already started with, but it is going to be a long and expensive road to recovery for Finn,” Botha concluded.

A fundraiser has been started by friends of the family on behalf of Katy and Finn to assist with their recovery, and anyone that would like to donate can do so here.

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