WACO, Texas — The Cameron Park Zoo in Waco is mourning the loss of one of their own, 10-year-old giraffe Penelope.
The zoo announced that Penelope, an adult female Masai giraffe, died on the morning of July 19 after falling ill the night before.
Cameron Park Zoo said the zoo's veterinarian and staff worked with Penelope through the night, but sadly were not able to save her.
According to the zoo, Penelope was born May 9, 2019 and came to Waco from the San Diego Zoo. Penelope gave birth to the zoo's newest Masai giraffe, Zuri, in June.
Zoo officials said a necropsy, an animal autopsy, has been performed to determine Penelope's cause of death, but it will likely take several weeks to receive the results.
Duane McGregor of the Cameron Park Zoo said Penelope's child Zuri was still nursing, and will now have to be bottle-fed. McGregor said the zoo is currently working on finding the right formula to feed Zuri. McGregor said that while Zuri is considered an orphan, the zoo's other giraffe, Jenny, will be able to act as a motherly figure for her, although she will not be able to feed Zuri.
"The Cameron Park Zoo staff and volunteers are deeply saddened by the loss of Penelope," said the zoo in a release. "The support of the community is greatly appreciated in this difficult time."
The Masai giraffe is the largest species of giraffe, according to the zoo. They are native to Central and Southern Kenya, as well as Tanzania. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists Masai giraffes as endangered, mostly due to poaching and habitat fragmentation.
More from 6 News: