Lightning kills two giraffes in the same American animal park in a tragedy of one billion at the other

In what American park officials have called "a tragedy of one billion," two giraffes were killed by lightning in a Florida safari park.

Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, confirmed that giraffes died instantly last month after being struck by lightning.

"It's like a one in a billion chance that it's happening to us and our poor giraffes, but we're looking to improve the safety of animals," said safari spokeswoman Haley Passeser NBC News.

The park indicated that the giraffes, named Lily and Jioni, were in a pasture when lightning hit them, but had access to several shelters in their multi-acre habitat.

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No park official saw lightning, so it was not clear if one or two bolts had killed the animals, said Passeser. NBC News.

"It was absolutely heartbreaking," said Zoo Wildlife Director Brian Dowling. WPEC-TV. "It was just an act of Mother Nature that we could not stop, we could not change the way it had happened."

The park, which presents itself as a "safari driving" and a "zoo without a cage", had 20 giraffes before death, NBC reported.

– United States today