Baby giraffe calf dies during labor at Iowa zoo
Incident Date:
09/30/2026
Location:
Des Moines, IA - USA
Facility Name:
Blank Park Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Other
Animal:
Giraffe
Animal disposition:
Dead
Summary:
DES MOINES, IA – Blank Park Zoo says the calf that Zola the giraffe was expecting has died.
Zola, a reticulated giraffe, was expected to give birth this week. The zoo put her on baby watch on September 30, 2026. In a social media post, the zoo said that veterinary staff observed the calf was not in position for birth and required veterinary assistance on Tuesday. The calf had no heartbeat at birth and was not able to be revived.
Action take by Born Free USA:
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