Baby giraffe dies at Baton Rouge Zoo

A female baby giraffe born earlier this week at the Baton Rouge Zoo has died.

Officials say the giraffe calf looked fairly healthy Wednesday, nursing as she stood with her mother in the grass.

When zookeepers checked on the giraffe Thursday morning, Assistant Director and General Curator Sam Winslow tells The Advocate the calf looked weak and died a short time later.

The cause of death is unknown and a necropsy will be performed. Winslow said the full necropsy results should back in two to three weeks.

The baby giraffe was the 19th born at the zoo.