[Sundae]

My understanding was that he was not suitable to breed in any places which had the capacity to take him. Rather than force him into an unnatural life of celibacy, they took the decision to cull in a humane fashion.
He got longer than many animals in the wild. Certainly longer than many animals bred for meat.

I was appalled when I first heard the story.
Then I heard a very poor interview on BBC 5Live - not up to their usual standard at all - and began asking myself questions. I have slowly changed my mind (5Live actually asked the Director of the Zoo, who had been in post for 30 years, whether he liked animals! Terrible journalism.)

And I think the subsequent butchery showed real respect for the animal.

Why kill off the old giraffes Adak? This was the giraffe surplus to requirement, not the old chaps who can possibly still breed (this is assumption on my part) and are an important part of the herd. Don't kill off the older statesmen just for being old.