A newborn giraffe at the Nashville Zoo died Saturday after being accidentally trampled by her mother.
“We are devastated by the loss of Nasha’s leg,” Rick Schwartz, the zoo’s president, said in a statement.
“Our staff has worked tirelessly to ensure that this calf is given the best possible care. We went from the fear of a stillborn to the joy of anguished resuscitation, “Schwartz said.
The zoo said in a blog post that an initial autopsy showed that the calf suffered neck injuries.
Additional tests will be performed to check for possible causes of death, the zoo said.
During the birth, the giraffe mother requested assistance from the zoo’s veterinary team after suffering complications.
The zoo said that the employees will comfort the mother for the first time, about whom they say she is doing well in the coming days.