NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A baby giraffe born Saturday at the Nashville Zoo has died.
Update 10:24 a.m. ET Jan.17: The zoo said the calf died shortly after birth possibly by accident by its mother, WZTV reported.
We are heartbroken to announce that Nasha's calf died shortly after our birth announcement earlier today after the calf was accidentally stepped on by her mother. Thank you all for your support over the past few weeks and during this tough time. 💛
— Nashville Zoo (@NashvilleZoo) January 17, 2021
More: https://t.co/8i04cOOc3X
“The calf appeared to be thriving on an initial exam, said Dr. Heather Schwartz, Nashville Zoo’s Director of Veterinary Medicine. “We moved the newborn to be with her mother and the two were bonding. During this time, Nasha may have inadvertently injured her calf. The giraffe keepers noticed that the calf was in distress.”
Nasha is doing OK. Her keepers will be keeping a close eye on her over the next few days.
There had been some slight complications but Nasha seemed to have successfully given birth.
“We are devastated over the loss of Nasha’s calf,” said Rick Schwartz, Nashville Zoo’s President, and CEO. “Our staff has worked tirelessly to make sure this calf was given the best possible care. We moved from fear of a stillborn to joy of revival to anguish.”
Original report: The Nashville Zoo added a new member to its family with the birth of a giraffe Saturday, zoo officials said.
Nasha, a 6-year-old Masai giraffe, gave birth to her first calf after slight complications, WKRN reported. Cameras had been rolling while Nasha went into labor but were turned off as the veterinary team and zookeepers stepped in to help deliver the calf, the television station reported.
SURPRISE! 💛 Nasha's calf has arrived, just in a different way than we expected! There were some complications with labor and our team stepped in to assist with the birth. Both mom & baby seem to be doing fine and you can watch them here: https://t.co/Lv0picUNgQ pic.twitter.com/KwJy6Y1o2e
— Nashville Zoo (@NashvilleZoo) January 16, 2021
“Both mom and baby seem to be doing fine, and you can watch mom and baby bond on our live cameras,” zoo officials said in a statement.
The zoo has not released the name of the calf, adding that more information about Nasha’s labor and delivery will be released at a later date, WVLT reported.
You can watch Nasha bond with her calf here.
Cox Media Group
