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Bracing for her future: Human medicine rescues giraffe

This Feb. 10, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Zoo veterinarians and experts in orthotics at the Hanger Clinic fitting braces to Msituni, a giraffe calf born with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP) This April 8, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Msituni, a baby giraffe calf with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. Zoo staff feared she could die if they didn't immediately correct the condition, which could prevent her from nursing and walking around the habitat. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP) This March 22, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Msituni, a giraffe calf born with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. Zoo staff feared she could die if they didn't immediately correct the condition, which could prevent her from nursing and walking around the habitat. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP) This Feb. 18, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Msituni, a giraffe calf born with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. Using cast moldings of the giraffe's legs, a carbon graphite brace features the animal's distinct pattern of crooked spots to match her fur. In the end, Msituni only needed one brace; and the other leg corrected itself with the medical grade brace. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP) This Feb. 10, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Msituni, a giraffe calf born with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, in San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. Msituni was fitted with custom-molded carbon graphite orthotic braces by using cast moldings of the calf's legs that were crafted by Hanger Clinic at the zoo. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP) This Feb. 10, 2022, image released by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows Msituni, a giraffe calf born with an unusual disorder that caused her legs to bend the wrong way, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AP)