Mario has worked with the animals for over two decades.

Mario has spent his entire adult life cleaning the giraffe enclosure at Rotterdam’s Diergaarde Blijdorp Zoo.

According to Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, the 54-year-old keeper has terminal cancer.

He apparently asked to be taken to the giraffe enclosure one last time to say good-bye to the animals.

Stichting Ambulance Wens Nederland / Via Facebook: wensenrijders

After his hospital bed was wheeled into the zoo, one of the giraffes approached Mario and appeared to plant a kiss on his head.

“These animals recognised him and felt that things aren’t going well with him,” said Kees Veldboer, founder and director of Ambulance Wish Foundation, which organised the good-bye.

Afterwards Mario, who is mentally disabled, also said good-bye to staff at the zoo, where he has worked for almost 25 years.

Stichting Ambulance Wens Nederland / Via Facebook: wensenrijders