Veterinarians at Australia’s Mogo Zoo have carried out a delicate surgery to anesthetize and then castrate a 15-year-old giraffe who was suffering from prostate problems.

Ijumma had been suffering from suspected urinary/reproductive tract issues for the past 18 months, and on August 4 an ultrasound was performed in a delicate procedure.

“Giraffe anaesthesia can be very difficult due to the size and unique circulatory system they have,” zoo owner Sally Padey wrote on Facebook. “It requires careful planning and an experienced veterinary team.”

The utrasound confirmed that Ijumma’s prostate was enlarged, Padey wrote in a follow-up post.

“The treatment for this is castration – which was carried out and he should now live a long and happy life,” a post on Facebook said. “This was the only decision to make – his life or his manhood – I / we chose his life.”

The giraffe has recovered from his anaesthetic and is back to eating normally, Padey wrote. Credit: Facebook/Mogo Zoo via Storyful