Giraffe dies after 'hitting head on bridge' on South Africa motorway

A giraffe has reportedly been killed after hitting its head on a bridge while being transported on a motorway in South Africa. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

The blindfolded giraffe was one of two being taken in a trailer to a game farm in Warmbarths, about 160km (99 miles) outside Johannesburg, reports the BBC.

It was originally thought the story was a hoax as it is similar to a scene from the film The Hangover Part III.



Eyewitnesses took to Twitter to describe how the giraffe hit its head on the Garsfontein Bridge on Johannesburg's N1 motorway.

Onlooker Thinus Botha tweeted: "Driving behind truck with 2 giraffe. Just passed underneath Garsfontein rd. 1 giraffe hit it's head on the bridge. Went down."

He also wrote: "1 giraffe just now hit his head on Garsfontein bridge. Lots of blood. Was behind truck when it happened."

He then added: "It's very sad. I think it died on impact, which is the slightest relief. Still unforgettable and unforgivable."

NSPCA manager, Rick Allen, confirmed the giraffe had died after a severe head trauma.

According to the Evening Standard, he said: "We are continuing our investigation with the view to possibly lay criminal charges against those responsible."

Other witnesses expressed disbelief that the driver even attempted to go under the bridge.

Pabi Moloi saw the whole thing, and tweeted: "Look how low that bridge is and how tall the giraffes are. Who thought this one through? I wish I hadn't seen this."

According to the Mirror, Pabi said the sound of the impact was so loud her cousin, who was driving, thought it was a gunshot.

She said: "My cousin and I were driving in Pretoria on a busy highway when I spotted a pair of giraffes in the back of a truck.

"As I was getting shots the truck went under a bridge and suddenly one of the giraffes hit its head hard on the concrete.

"The sound was so loud that my cousin, who was driving, asked me if there was someone shooting because she thought she'd heard a gunshot!

"That is how loud the impact was from the animal's head smashing into the overhead bridge."

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