You may have noticed that one of the giraffes at the Zoo has a crooked neck. This giraffe was born at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in July 1986. She arrived at the Santa Barbara Zoo in good health in July 1987. As she matured, her neck developed a small kink, which has increased gradually over the last ten years. This particular giraffe has reproduced at the Zoo and has not shown any signs of pain. We suspect that this kink has formed from an unstable joint in her neck. The unstable joint is most likely due to a benign bony growth near the joint surface. As this mass grows, it will slowly displace the two bones, producing the angle. She functions normally and continually monitored for any signs of pain or changes in her general health.