Lightning Kills Giraffe At Disney's Animal Kingdom
POSTED: 12:01 p.m. EDT July 23, 2003
UPDATED: 12:35 p.m. EDT July 23, 2003
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A lightning strike hit and killed a giraffe at an attraction inside Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, according to Local 6 News.
A Disney spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that lightning hit the 12-foot giraffe known as Betsy at the Kilamanjaro Safari ride during Monday's storms in Central Florida.
At least three attraction trams or about 90 people may have witnessed the incident, Local 6 News reported.
It is believed that Betsy died instantly. She had been at the theme park since 1998.
Disney officials said that they have lightning rods placed around the park to protect the park's animals and if there is enough warning they take the animals inside barns for protection from storms.
Betsy's death leaves the attraction with 15 giraffes and there are 10 more animals at the Animal Kingdom lodge.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
A Disney spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that lightning hit the 12-foot giraffe known as Betsy at the Kilamanjaro Safari ride during Monday's storms in Central Florida.
At least three attraction trams or about 90 people may have witnessed the incident, Local 6 News reported.
It is believed that Betsy died instantly. She had been at the theme park since 1998.
Disney officials said that they have lightning rods placed around the park to protect the park's animals and if there is enough warning they take the animals inside barns for protection from storms.
Betsy's death leaves the attraction with 15 giraffes and there are 10 more animals at the Animal Kingdom lodge.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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