Burreaux, a giraffe at the Baton Rouge Zoo named for former LSU Tigers star and current Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, died Wednesday, a day after a sudden illness. He was 20 months old.
According to a statement by the zoo, Burreaux experienced a sudden onset of acute symptoms that included a severe cough and overall agitation, and the zoo’s veterinary staff took immediate measures to help that included the administering of medication. The zoo planned to observe Burreaux overnight and schedule an immobilization assisted by LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine to explore the issue further on Wednesday morning if there was no improvement.
Burreaux’s condition changed little until 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, when his condition quickly deteriorated. Burreaux died shortly afterward. Official results of a necropsy performed Thursday will be available in approximately 30 days.
“The zoo’s entire team adored Burreaux and is undergoing their own level of sadness over this sudden and unexpected loss,” the zoo said.
Contributing to the sadness around Burreaux’s death at a young age — a giraffe typically has a lifespan of 25 years and can live longer in captivity — is the mystery surrounding it. The zoo stated that it had reached out to numerous zoological veterinarians throughout the nation in regards to Burreaux, but none had seen a giraffe with symptoms comparable to those he experienced.
Burreaux was born on Dec. 26, 2019, just days before LSU played in the College Football Playoff on their way to a national championship triumph. According to ESPN, he was named as the result of a fundraiser run, with his namesake being Tigers quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Burrow had spelled his last name “Burreaux” — a combination of his surname and the cajun “Geaux” — on the back of his jersey on senior night that season.
