MUZIKI WAS THE OLDEST GIRAFFE IN THE CMZOO HERD, AND THE FIFTH OLDEST IN HUMAN CARE IN THE COUNTRY – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said a grateful goodbye to Muziki (pronounced moo ZEE-key), a 27-year-old female reticulated giraffe, on Fri., March 13, 2026. After a quick decline in her health due to age related issues including bone density loss in her jaw, her care team made the difficult but compassionate decision to euthanize her. She was the oldest giraffe in the CMZoo herd and the fifth oldest female reticulated giraffe in the country.
Muziki was born at CMZoo, and she would have turned 28 years old on April 3, 2026. The median life expectancy for a female giraffe in human care is 20 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
“I’ll remember her as a leader in the herd,” Kacie Meffley, giraffe animal care manager, says. “She was gentle and confident. She taught newborn calves and giraffe who moved to our Zoo how to be giraffe at CMZoo because the herd would naturally follow her lead.”
Muziki also taught people. She was eager to participate in training, and her care team often relied on her skills at giraffe care workshops, hosted by the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe at CMZoo. When giraffe care teams from other organizations want to learn about giraffe care, they can attend the workshops and work directly with the CMZoo giraffe care team and herd to learn skills they can take home to benefit the giraffe in their care.
“Muziki was the herd matriarch, and giraffe and humans alike worked to earn her respect,” Kacie says. “She wouldn’t let just anyone train with her, so once you earned her trust and respect, it felt pretty special. I remember one day, when we were applying an ointment to her joints to help with arthritis. She would step away when others approached, but she stood perfectly still for me to do it. That’s when I knew we had formed a real bond.”
Supporting animals through their senior years is a privilege, and the giraffe care team provided excellent care for Muziki through the end of her life. The Zoo aims to give animals their Last Best Day, with a goal to find the best possible timing to say goodbye while giving the animal as many fulfilling days as they can.
“Muziki’s last best day was spent doing her favorite things, enjoying the sunshine outside and receiving lettuce from guests, volunteers and staff,” Kacie says. “At the end of the day, she had the entire barn, with lots of choices to rest on sand or participate in enrichment while she spent time with other giraffe and staff.”
Muziki’s death comes just five days after the death of Mashama, a 15-year-old reticulated giraffe who passed away on Sunday. Yesterday, Bob Chastain, CMZoo President & CEO, addressed the difficult week in a letter to CMZoo members.
About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2025, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised more than $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.