Newborn giraffe calf dies at Santa Barbara Zoo
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Zoo is mourning the death of a newborn giraffe calf that was humanely euthanized due to medical complications that were discovered at birth.
The female calf was born Tuesday evening to mother Audrey.
Zoo officials say the Masai giraffe calf had immediate complications at birth, and while zoo staff attempted to intervene and monitor the calf, it was determined that the calf would not survive. The calf was euthanized by zoo staff Wednesday,
The exact medical conditions that caused the calf's untimely death are unclear at this time, but more information will be known pending the results of a necropsy.
The zoo says the giraffe's mother, Audrey, is in stable condition and is being monitored by staff.
“We share this news with a very heavy heart...” said Dr. Julie Barnes, the zoo’s vice president of Animal Care and Health in a news release. “Immediately following the delivery, the calf was not showing normal behavior, appeared weak and was unable to stand on its own. The calf exhibited several potential congenital abnormalities that the animal care team suspects contributed to the calf’s lack of responsiveness and inability to get up. It is also possible that the calf may have experienced some sort of fetal distress in-utero or during birth."
Zoo staff cared for the calf and Audrey around the clock, Barnes said.
"Despite tremendous efforts, there was no improvement in the calf’s condition. Taking into consideration the calf’s very poor prognosis for survival, we made the decision to euthanize her this morning.”
The zoo has had many successful giraffe births over the years including Twiga, a male giraffe that was born to Adia back in May. But the zoo says giraffes in particularly face the risk of pregnancy and birth complications both in zoos and in the wild.
“The loss of any animal is heartbreaking for our entire Zoo family, and we are grieving this loss,” said Santa Barbara Zoo President Rich Block in a news release. “Despite the unfortunate outcome, I’m proud of the Zoo team for the great measures they took to try to save Audrey’s calf. We are grateful for the support of our community, as well as from our professional conservation community, as we continue our commitment to working to protect the future of wildlife.”
The Santa Barbara Zoo plays an important role in protecting the endangered Masai giraffe species. Eight giraffes have been born at the zoo since 2013, all of which were sired by Michael. The 13-year-old male giraffe is considered to be one of the most genetically important male giraffes in the United States.
