Las Vegas’ Only Giraffe Dies at Lion Habitat Ranch

Posted on: August 2, 2024, 12:47h. 

Last updated on: August 2, 2024, 12:58h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

Ozzie, Las Vegas’ only giraffe, died early Friday morning from injuries suffered during a fall at Lion Habitat Ranch, a nonprofit sanctuary in Henderson, Nev.

Ozzie, born at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Wichita, Kansas, was brought to Lion Habitat Ranch at 8 months old and 8 feet tall in 2014. (Image: Lion Habitat Ranch)

“In the quiet hours before dawn, something startled Ozzie, causing him to stumble,” the ranch posted on its Instagram page. “Startled from his peaceful evening nap, Ozzie fought valiantly to rise, and our dedicated staff, owners, and veterinarians rallied around him.

As the only non-feline resident in a zoo full of them — and the only one safe for visitors, such as the little one in this undated photo, to feed — Ozzie was a highlight of a ranch visit. (Image: Lion Habitat Ranch)

“They worked tirelessly, providing round-the-clock medical care, their unwavering commitment a testament to the bond we share with our animal family.”

The ranch said it’s waiting for blood test results to determine if there was a medical reason for Ozzie’s fall.

Annoula Wylderich, an animal activist who opposes the exhibition of captive wildlife for human entertainment, told Casino.org: “We don’t know what the extent of Ozzie’s life would have been in the wild, but we do know that exotic animals in captivity don’t live as long and they don’t have the same quality of life as they would have in their natural habitat.”

In the wild, giraffes have a life expectancy of about 25 years. Ozzie was 9.

Lion Around

Staff members at the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand chill with big cats as casino visitors look on in 2007. (Image: Judy Baxter/flickr)

Lion Habitat Ranch is the only surviving piece of the free lion exhibit that ran at the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip from 1999 to 2012.

Built just off the casino floor across from what today is the Hakkasan restaurant and nightclub, Lion Habitat was a glass enclosure that allowed 18 lions at a time to roam  in front of visitors and above their heads.

The attraction was run by Keith Evans, who drove the lions in every morning from his ranch in Henderson.

After the casino resort ended its partnership with Evans and his lions as part of a $160 million renovation, Evans opened his ranch to the public in November 2012 and formed a nonprofit organization to operate it based on revenue from ticket sales.

In 2015, Clark County threatened to close Lion Habitat Ranch, which had more lions than permitted and was engaging in captive breeding. Evans agreed to stop breeding in order to remain open.

The ranch, located at 382 Bruner Ave. in Henderson, will be closed on Friday, August 2 in Ozzie’s honor.

“His loss reverberates through the ranch, leaving an indelible mark on our hearts,” the zoo’s Instagram post stated.