A Masai giraffe calf — one of the newest additions to its endangered species — was born this month at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, but it’s been a somewhat turbulent first week of life for the newborn, which required specialized care.
The currently unnamed calf was delivered by its mother, 9-year-old Amari, on the morning of Aug. 7, according to Zoo New England, which manages both the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo in Stoneham.
Weighing 167 pounds, the calf appeared healthy and was able to stand after its birth. The calf’s mother experienced a “normal pregnancy,” according to Zoo New England.
However, zoo officials determined that the Amari was not able to successfully nurse her calf “despite some attempts” by the baby within 24 hours of its birth.
Dr. Brianne Phillips, associate veterinarian at Zoo New England, said in a statement that the calf’s first hours are “a critical time” for it to bond with its mother and receive “nourishing food and critical antibodies from her colostrum, or the first milk.”
“Without acquiring these antibodies, the calf’s immune system may not develop properly to deal with routine bacteria and disease,” Phillips added.
After attempts to bottle feed the calf and a routine exam, which determined the calf had not nursed, the zoo’s veterinary team fed the baby giraffe using a tube to deliver the “vital colostrum” and gave the calf a plasma infusion.
Additional attempts to encourage nursing between the mother and baby giraffe were unsuccessful, Zoo New England added.
On Aug. 10, the calf was sent to the Hospital for Large Animals at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton.
The calf is receiving fluids and nutritional support via an IV catheter at the hospital, according to Zoo New England.
“The calf also started developing diarrhea and has mild pneumonia, and is therefore being treated with antibiotics,” Zoo New England said. “He is still not reliably eating on his own, but the team at Tufts was successful in getting him to drink approximately 20 [ounces] from a bottle.”
Zoo New England called the calf’s prognosis “guarded.” The mother giraffe remains behind the scenes at the Boston zoo and is being closely monitored, the group said.
“She is eating and behaving normally and receiving doting care and regular enrichment from her care team,” Zoo New England said.
“Guests can still see the calf’s father, Chad, grazing and roaming the Giraffe Savannah habitat,” Zoo New England added.
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