Newborn giraffe dies at Nashville Zoo after mother accidentally steps on her

A newborn giraffe at the Nashville Zoo died Saturday after being accidentally stepped on by its mother.

“We are devastated by the loss of Nasha’s calf,” Rick Schwartz, president of the zoo, said in a statement.

“Our staff have worked tirelessly to ensure this calf receives the best possible care. We went from the fear of a stillborn to the joy of waking up to anguish, ”said Schwartz.

The zoo said in a blog post that an initial autopsy showed the calf had sustained neck trauma.

Additional testing will be done to look for possible underlying causes of death, the zoo said.

During the birth, the mother giraffe had needed assistance from the zoo’s veterinary team after suffering complications.

The zoo said staff members will comfort the mother for the first time, who they say is doing well, in the days to come.