Officials at a Florida wildlife park say two giraffes that died last month were killed by lightning.
Lion Country Safari posted Tuesday on Facebook that pathology results confirmed Lily, a 10-year-old female, and Jioni, a year-old male, died as a result of a lightning strike, and the deaths were instantaneous.
Officials at the facility in Loxahatchee in Palm Beach County say the pair were in a pasture May 3 when a severe thunderstorm developed.
Haley Passeser, a spokeswoman for Lion County Safari, told the Palm Beach Post the park did not release the news immediately after the incident because officials wanted to confirm the pathology tests — and to give keepers time to grieve.
"It's been very solemn. There's been a lot of tears," she told the news outlet. "To lose these animals [their keepers] are caring for every day is truly devastating for them."
The nature park has 18 giraffes who roam in a 25-acre preserve, the news outlet reported. There are shelters and nighttime housing in the preserve, but the animals are not forced to enter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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