Good-bye Gemina

Our collective hearts broke last week as we said good-bye to one of Santa Barbara ’s most beloved public figures. Gemina, the crooked-necked giraffe who resided at the Santa Barbara Zoo for nearly two decades, was humanely euthanized on January 9. She was 21 years old, geriatric by giraffe standards.

“Her health had been declining over recent weeks, and she finally stopped eating,” read a statement on the Zoo’s Web site. “Although we don’t know what caused her poor health, all signs indicate old age and not the condition of her neck. Gemina lived beyond the average life expectancy for a female giraffe.”

As a kid growing up in sleepy Santa Barbara (at least, that’s the way it was in the early ‘70s), I spent many happy hours volunteering at the Santa Barbara Zoo, which at that time was called the Child’s Estate, named after Lillian Child, a one-time owner of the property. With my bright yellow t-shirt with the words “Junior Volunteer” emblazoned across the front, I eagerly shared my enthusiasm and knowledge of the many animal species who called 500 Niños Drive home. These were simpler times, when you could still enter the barnyard exhibit to pet the sheep and goats, and 25 cents bought you a paper tray full of fish to toss to the barking sea otters. I remember the giraffe exhibit, of course, but it would still be many years before Gemina’s arrival at the zoo.

I’ll stick my neck out and admit that I don’t visit zoos much these days. There’s something a bit sad about staring into the eyes of a captive animal and seeing an intelligent, sentient being staring back at you. Because of my ever-shrinking zoo visits, I only met Gemina once or twice in all the years she lived in Santa Barbara . So when I sat down to write this farewell piece to her, I realized I was a little short on stories about this long-legged leaf-eater. To help me in my quest, I sent out an e-mail message, asking my friends and colleagues to share their fondest memories about Gemina.

Nicole Boyd, a volunteer at the zoo, who worked closely with the giraffe, told me in a brief telephone conversation that both she and Gemina turned 21 last year. “It was sad to say good-bye, but it was for the best,” Nicole said. “She will always have a soft spot in my heart.”

Surprisingly, three of Patty Fry’s grandchildren also celebrated their 21^st birthdays in 2007. “I remember the first time I saw Gemina,” the Ojai resident writes. “I was with my six grandchildren, who were all under the age of six. Gemina was still small herself and she looked as if life, for her, would be awkward. At first, we all felt sorry for her. When we realized that she functioned just fine—that her crooked neck was not a handicap, just an unusual quirk of nature, we rejoiced in her beauty and grace. It’s not easy to be graceful in Gemina’s position, but she was, without a doubt, the most graceful of all Santa Barbara Zoo giraffes. Thinking back, I doubt that the children and I looked at any of the other giraffes during our many subsequent visits to the zoo. We spent all of our time admiring Gemina. It was fun watching her grow as my grandchildren grew.”

Gemina was popular with the adults as well. “I am a docent at the S.B. Zoo and Gemina was one of my favorite animals to visit every week,” writes Sharon Vaughn. “I enjoyed watching Gemina as she gently positioned herself at the giraffe public feeding platform while the male giraffe, Taru, attempted to dominate the whole area wanting all the biscuit treats for himself. Being so tall, Taru was able to raise his head above the highest railing while the other female giraffes could not. Gemina would wait patiently until someone took notice of her and they went to the side to give her one of the biscuits, despite the fact that Taru was trying to swing his big neck far enough to intervene and persuade the person with his 17” tongue to give the biscuit to him.”

“We always called her Achoo,” writes Sharon O’Reilly. “A few years back, my granddaughter, McKenzie, who goes to the zoo all the time, was visiting Gemina and the giraffe sneezed on her. So, from then on, if you asked McKenzie what a lion said, she would roar; when asked what an elephant said, she would trumpet; and when asked what a giraffe said, she would say ‘Achoo!’ Sorry to see her pass over….she was one-of-a-kind and we were lucky to have her at OUR zoo.”

Gemina was truly heads above the rest, according to Karen Perkins and Julia DiSieno. “I appreciate that she seemed to be so happy, never seeming to notice the crook in her neck that made her so different from all of the others,” writes Karen. “We humans have a lot to learn.” And Julia reminds us, “Gemina was truly a special animal and living proof that even compromised animals can and do live good, quality lives in captivity. Rest in peace, pretty girl.”

Gemina touched us all in a way that only animals can. With grace and charm, the gentle giraffe with the crooked neck may be gone forever from our view, but she will remain forever in our hearts.

 

What are your favorite memories of Gemina? Share them with Karen by sending her an e-mail message at karenleestevens@cox.net. She will be posting the responses on her Web site at www.allforanimals.com.

 

---

By Karen Lee Stevens,
Founder & President, ALL FOR ANIMALS, Inc.
Copyright © 2008. All Rights Reserved.

---

Return to Karen Lee's Home Page
Return to the ALL FOR ANIMALS Home Page