The male giraffe calf born at the Calgary Zoo earlier this week has died, officials confirmed Saturday.
The zoo said he died early Saturday morning, confirming on Monday that he was born with birth defects, including an under-developed urethra.
“This resulted in toxins building up in his tiny body, leading to his death despite interventions by our animal care team,” the zoo posted on Facebook.
The giraffe was born on Sept. 29.
“We knew when he was born so tiny that it would be an uphill battle but had high hopes that the love of his mama and round-the-clock care from our team would be enough to help him begin to thrive,” the zoo said on Facebook.
The Calgary Zoo said it is supporting the calf’s mother, Emara, through the “devastating outcome.” She has previously suffered two miscarriages, and gave birth to a calf that died within 48 hours.