Giraffe rescued after becoming stuck in septic tank

A giraffe had to be rescued after it became stuck when it fell into a septic tank in a South African game reserve. Volunteers managed to pull the distressed two ton bull giraffe out on Monday using ropes, a blindfold, ingenuity and a pile of persistence. The animal, aged around nine, is now being monitored by staff at its home inside the Marloth Park reserve, which lies in eastern South Africa near Kruger National Park. It is believed the giraffe had spent several hours stuck in the drain after tumbling into the septic tank overnight on Sunday.

Local vet Cobus Raath, who was part of the rescue mission explained: "He must have been feeding in the night and stepped on the concrete lid of a septic tank, which collapsed under his weight. He had managed to get his front legs out but his hind legs were trapped and he was unable to free himself." Dr Raath said his team blindfolded the giraffe and put cotton wool in it ears to try and calm the animal down.



They then tied a rope around his head and pulled it down towards the ground while a team of 20 volunteers helped heave it out of the hole. "The animal was distressed and had been trying to get out," he said. We decided not to incapacitate him but blindfolded him to try and calm him down. We then called a load of local people who rushed to help and we used ropes and brute force to pull him out of the hole sideways." The operation took about 20 minutes to get him out.

Dr Raath said his team treated the animal at the scene for shock before releasing it back into its enclosure. Officials were today working to improve fencing at the private game reserve. Dr Raath said the freed animal appeared to have coped well despite its ordeal. "It has been released back into the park and seems to be doing fine."