The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo says a “tragic accident” led to the recent death of an adult Masai giraffe. A statement from the zoo says the female giraffe named Emara died May 19 after tangling one of her horns on a cable surrounding her enclosure. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo-Sergei Belskey

Calgary

The Calgary Zoo says a “tragic accident” led to the recent death of one of its adult Masai giraffes.

A statement from the zoo says a female giraffe named Emara died May 19 after tangling one of her horns in a cable surrounding her enclosure.

The statement says a necropsy revealed Emara fell against the enclosure fence and died almost instantly of a broken neck.

Emara, who had just turned 12, came to Calgary from the San Diego Zoo in 2016.

The statement says she was a treasured member at the zoo and was known for her cautious yet curious personality and gentle nature.

The zoo says it is checking fencing within its African Savannah Yard enclosure to see if changes are needed to better protect the other giraffes and animals that share the space.

Doug Whiteside, interim associate director of animal care and welfare at the zoo, said Emara was in her prime and was in excellent health when she died.

“Major life changes such as this not only affect our people but can affect our animal residents as well,” Whiteside said in the statement Monday.

He said the zoo’s remaining giraffes, Nabo and Moshi, are doing well.

Grief counsellors are being made available to Emara’s caregivers and other zoo staff.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023.

A rural property is seen near Langdon, Alta., Monday, April 10, 2023. A bail hearing for a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting women in Calgary’s sex trade will be held later this month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Calgary

A bail hearing for a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting women in Calgary’s sex trade is to be held later this month after two more complainants came forward.

Richard Robert Mantha, who is 59, faces two new charges of sexual assault and two additional charges of administering a noxious substance.

They are in addition to 13 offences he faces in relation to three women, including sexual assault causing bodily harm.

Mantha appeared in court and a bail hearing was scheduled for May 26.

Police say the women allege they were approached by a man, then drugged and taken to a rural property, where they were physically and sexually assaulted.

Mantha was charged after officers cordoned off a property east of Calgary and brought in cadaver dogs, but police said at the time that no bodies were found.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2023.