Giraffe
Killed by Lightning
Paraphrased
by
Steve Waldrop
July 25, 2003
Betsy,
a 6-year old giraffe was struck and killed by lightning at Walt Disney World's
Animal Kingdom, said company spokeswoman, Diane Ledder.
The
giraffe had been at the Animal Kingdom since 1998, when the park opened. She was
wandering in the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction when a sudden storm front moved
in.
"To the best of my knowledge, it was a quick death," Ledder
said.
The park has lightning rods placed throughout the safari area to
protect animals. Animals can also be brought inside during severe weather, but
the storm came through with too little warning.
Betsy was the first animal
to die from a lightning strike at the theme park. Zoos have lost animals to lightning
in the past, although rarely.
