A giraffe calf at Knuthenborg Safari Park was found dead shortly after its birth. The park announced the unfortunate event in a Facebook post on Friday.

The cause of the calf’s death remains undetermined. An autopsy was performed by a veterinarian, and samples have been sent for analysis. The results are currently pending. The veterinarian initially found no immediate signs of illness.

Jane Trolle, Head of Zookeepers at Knuthenborg, stated that the staff is deeply saddened by the calf’s death, especially the zookeepers who were closely involved.

Trolle emphasized the park’s successful history in giraffe breeding and noted that the mother of the deceased calf is experienced. She said such incidents are rare, stating that in her 20 years at Knuthenborg, she has never experienced this before.

During a period of heavy rain, the giraffes were moved inside for shelter, particularly to protect the newborn calf.

The birth of the calf was announced in a press release on July 17. It occurred on the savannah and was witnessed by zookeepers and park guests. The new calf brought the giraffe herd at Knuthenborg to a total of eight.

The park has another giraffe calf that was born in December.