Kipekee was 2 years old when she died on Nov. 26 at the Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tenn. Days after her death, on Dec. 1, the University of Tennessee announced it would be investigating her death.

On Monday, Feb. 16, the Brights Zoo announced the results of the University of Tennessee’s investigation: Kipekee was born with a congenital abnormality that affected the blood vessels to her liver. As a result, her liver did not function properly, preventing her body from processing nutrients, leading to her early death. Giraffes typically live more than 30 years in the wild, and often longer in captivity, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

“Although this condition had been present since birth, her decline occurred rapidly in the end. Despite close monitoring and veterinary care, this was not something that could have been prevented or corrected,” Brights Zoo said in the announcement.

“Kipekee passed away far too young, but she was deeply loved and cared for every day of her life,” the zoo said. “She meant so much to our animal care team, and especially to those who had the privilege of working closely with her and watching her grow.”

Kipekee was born solid brown with no spots in July 2023. At the time, zoo officials said she was believed to be the only living spotless giraffe in captivity and the first spotless giraffe documented since 1972, when a calf named Toshiko was born in Tokyo.

Months later, a second spotless giraffe was spotted in the wild in Namibia, though Kipekee’s location at Brights Zoo made her far more popular.

In response to the zoo’s announcement of the giraffe’s cause of death, several patrons commented, sharing memories of their visits to Kipekee.

“Our first visit to see Kipekee was in November, the year she was born. We flew down from Alaska, and Brights Zoo was a highlight of our anniversary trip,” one user wrote.

Another wrote: “Thank you for sharing this with us. In her short life, Kipekee brought so much awareness to the conservation community as a whole. Her unique beauty allowed for everyone to learn about her special spotless condition, and shone a big spotlight on giraffes.”

“Kipekee’s life was short, but she left a lasting impact. Kipekee was such a bright star. She was shared not only with the community but the world,” one person added.