Darah Hansen, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, July 06, 2006

ALDERGROVE - A baby giraffe born at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove in June has died of complications stemming from broken ribs she suffered following her birth, zoo veterinarian Bruce Burton said.

The unnamed calf was just eight days old when she died June 29.

Burton said the calf "slowly drifted away" while being held by clinic staff.

"It's pretty tough," Burton said. "You can't put it in words. You get so attached to these guys in about the first 10 minutes."

Burton said the odds were stacked against the calf -- the first giraffe to be born at the zoo. Medical intervention became necessary after her 18-year-old first-time mother had trouble in delivery. Burton said the calf had to be pulled out, and was so weak upon delivery, the vet initially thought she was dead.

As zoo staff worked to revive the animal, Burton said the mother giraffe, who had been drugged during the delivery, stepped on her newborn, breaking several of its ribs.

Burton said despite her injuries, the little calf appeared to be gaining strength over the days.

"On Wednesday, she was fine . . . then, all of a sudden, on the Thursday she went downhill," Burton said. "We brought her to the clinic where we took X-rays of her chest. We could see there was more damage than we anticipated."

The death comes as owners of the zoo are facing charges of cruelty to animals in relation to the pen where their young hippo, Hazina, had been kept.
© The Vancouver Sun 2006