SOX, ONE OF PITTSBURGH ZOO & AQUARIUM’S MOST POPULAR RESIDENTS, NUZZLES WITH HER ZEBRA BUDDY, SPENCER, IN THE OUTDOOR EXHIBIT THEY SHARED.| PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH ZOO & AQUARIUM

Sox, a Masai giraffe, was “humanely euthanized” on Friday, Jan. 17, according to Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium officials. The 17-year-old giraffe — a favorite among zoo keepers and visitors — had been treated by the zoo’s veterinary team since last summer for a chronic degeneration of her bones, but had stopped responding to pain management treatment. Her condition worsened last week.

Sox was born at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo when their home MLB team, the Red Sox, became victorious during the 2007 World Series. Sox was named after the team and her white ankles that made her look like she was wearing socks. She came to the Pittsburgh Zoo in March 2013.

She was one of two giraffes at the zoo; the other is a male named Lewis. Lead Keeper Lisa Caruso said in a press release, “Lewis may be the crowd pleaser, but Sox was one of the keepers’ favorites.”

Sox was also close with her friend, Spencer the zebra, whom she shared an exhibit with. The Masai giraffe is the largest species of giraffe and is found in Central and Southern Kenya and Tanzania. They’re known for their irregular star-like blotches that extend to their hooves. The breed is endangered due to poaching and habitat fragmentation, according to the International Union of Conservation of Nature.

As the community mourns the loss of Sox, the Pittsburgh Zoo invites guests to share memories on the zoo’s social media platforms.

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Alex Cauley, zoo public relations & media manager, said that Sox’s death will have no impact on the zoo’s plans to build an $8 million giraffe barn as part of the first phase of the zoo’s ambitious 20-year master plan. The zoo hopes to more than quadruple the inside space for giraffes to allow guests to observe the animals from a catwalk overlooking their areas for year-round viewing. Guests are not able to see the giraffes in the winter when they’re inside because the space is too small.

Dr. Jeremy Goodman, zoo president and CEO, has said the larger space also will extend the animals’ time outside and allow the zoo to add more giraffes and embark on a breeding program.

The first phase of the master plan also includes a new $5.5 million entrance and ticketing area to replace the 30-year-old space to make it more guest-friendly and ADA accessible.