Baby giraffe dies at Nashville Zoo after being stepped on by mother

The mother for the first time, Nasha, 6, gave birth to a healthy calf on Saturday after a complicated birth, according to the zoo.

But after announcing the birth, zookeepers noticed that the calf was in danger. Shortly afterwards, they announced the tragic loss.

“We are heartbroken to announce that Nasha’s calf died shortly after our birth announcement today, after the calf was accidentally stepped on by its mother,” wrote the zoo.

“Our animal care team intervened quickly, but was unsuccessful in saving the calf,” wrote the zoo. “An initial necropsy showed trauma to the neck, but more tests will follow to determine if there was an underlying cause for the newborn’s death. Thank you all for your support in the past few weeks and especially during this difficult period.”

“We are devastated by the loss of Nasha’s puppy,” said Dr. Heather Schwartz, director of veterinary medicine at the zoo. “Our team worked tirelessly to ensure that this calf received the best care possible. We went from the fear of stillbirth to the joy of rebirth and anguish.”

The complications of childbirth have led the zoo to remove live food during the birthing process, while thousands are tuning in, the zoo said.

“SURPRISE! Nasha’s puppy arrived, just in a different way than we expected! There were some complications with labor and our team came on the scene to help with the delivery. The mother and baby seem to be fine …” Zoo tweeted at the time.

Schwartz said the puppy appeared to be thriving and they decided to move the newborn to be with his mother. The two were coming together, but during that time Nasha may have inadvertently injured his calf, Schwartz said.

Masai giraffes are in danger because of a 50% decline in their population over the past three decades, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

Nasha is fine and the keepers will give her a lot of comfort and care in the coming days, according to the zoo.

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