Current:Home > InvestNursing baby giraffe dies after being spooked; zoo brings in grief counselors for staff-LoTradeCoin
Nursing baby giraffe dies after being spooked; zoo brings in grief counselors for staff
View Date:2024-12-23 20:13:58
A 6-month-old giraffe died from injuries it sustained after being "unexpectedly startled by another giraffe" while it was nursing, the North Carolina Zoo announced Thursday.
"Fenn was nursing when he became unexpectedly startled by another giraffe," the zoo said in a statement. "He bolted, colliding with a nearby gate and falling to the ground."
According to the zoo, Fenn suffered head and neck injuries from the collision and fall, and "despite receiving rapid medical intervention," died Wednesday night.
The zoo said it has brought in grief counselors to help staffers who have been emotionally affected by Fenn's death.
"Staff members, particularly the caretakers who formed a special bond with him since his birth, ask for respect and privacy during their time of grief," the zoo said.
Fenn, described as "energetic and vibrant," was born May 20 weighing 145 lbs with a height of 6 feet, the North Carolina Zoo said. He was his 14-year-old mother Leia's first calf, the zoo said. Fenn's name was chosen via an online poll in which more than 100,000 votes were cast, according to the zoo.
Leia's birth was "textbook," the zoo wrote at the time.
"She progressed through each stage smoothly," the zoo said in a Facebook post that included video of the delivery. "The calf emerged front feet first, followed by the nose and head. The shoulders followed and soon after made its dramatic fall to the ground."
According to the zoo, the initial fall when giraffes are born helps to snap the umbilical cord and "stimulates the calf to take its first breaths."
Jordan FreimanJordan Freiman is an editor and writer for CBSNews.com. He covers breaking news, trending stories, sports and crime. Jordan has previously worked at Spin and Death and Taxes.
veryGood! (68)
Related
- Mattel says it ‘deeply’ regrets misprint on ‘Wicked’ dolls packaging that links to porn site
- Connor Stalions on 'Sign Stealer': Everything former Michigan staffer said in Netflix doc
- Score the Iconic Spanx Faux Leather Leggings for Just $33 & Flash Deals Up to 70% Off, Starting at $9!
- 'I look really soft': Caitlin Clark brushes off slight ankle injury in Fever win vs. Dream
- A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome
- Rob “The Rabbit” Pitts, Star of Netflix’s Tex Mex Motors, Dead at 45 After Battle With Stomach Cancer
- RealPage lawyer denies collusion with landlords to raise rents, 'open to solutions' to resolve DOJ lawsuit
- Baywatch’s Nicole Eggert Shares She's in a Grey Area Amid Breast Cancer Battle
- Olivia Culpo Celebrates Christian McCaffrey's NFL Comeback Alongside Mother-in-Law
- Ballerina Farm Influencer Hannah Neeleman Returns to Mrs. American Pageant to Crown Successor
Ranking
- Elon Musk responds after Chloe Fineman alleges he made her 'burst into tears' on 'SNL'
- No. 1 Swiatek shakes off tough test, Naomi Osaka wins impressively in her return to the US Open
- Rob “The Rabbit” Pitts, Star of Netflix’s Tex Mex Motors, Dead at 45 After Battle With Stomach Cancer
- These Beetlejuice Gifts & Merch Are So Spook-Tacularly Cute, You’ll Be Saying His Name Three Times
- Spirit Airlines cancels release of Q3 financial results as debt restructuring talks heat up
- What Not to Wear’s Stacy London and Clinton Kelly Team Up for New Show After Ending Years-Long Feud
- It’s official, the census says: Gay male couples like San Francisco. Lesbians like the Berkshires
- US Postal Service is abandoning a plan to reroute Reno-area mail processing to Sacramento
Recommendation
-
Biden EPA to charge first-ever ‘methane fee’ for drilling waste by oil and gas companies
-
Julianne Hough Details Gut-Wrenching Story of How Her Dogs Died
-
‘ER’ creator Michael Crichton’s estate sues Warner Bros. over upcoming hospital drama ‘The Pitt’
-
Winning Powerball numbers for Monday, Aug. 26 drawing: Jackpot worth $54 million
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Something Corporate
-
Man accused of starting destructive California wildfire by throwing firework out car window
-
San Diego police officer killed and another critically injured in crash with fleeing car
-
Colorado GOP chair ousted in a contentious vote that he dismisses as a ‘sham’