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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah's Hogle Zoo is mourning the death of a three-week-old baby giraffe.
The zoo said Friday the female calf named Akiki was born small, grew slowly and died despite intensive medical therapy.
Director of Animal Health Dr. Nancy Carpenter says the baby was noticeably underdeveloped at birth and her growth stalled even though she was nursing.
Carpenter says mother Kipenzi had milk, but it's not yet clear if her supply was short or the baby wasn't able to nurse effectively.
Staff tried to bolster the baby's health with IV fluids, tube feeding and vitamins before her Wednesday death.
The calf was Kipenzi's third. A baby born in 2010 didn't survive and a second born two years later was sent to Maryland Zoo.
Hogle Zoo has four giraffes.
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