Baby giraffe whose birth at Dallas Zoo was watched on the Internet worldwide dies in accident

DALLAS – A baby giraffe whose birth at the Dallas Zoo was viewed live on the Internet worldwide has died in an accident.

A Dallas Zoo statement says Kipenzi (kih-PEHN’-zee), the 3-month-old giraffe, died about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when she ran into a perimeter edge of the barn that’s part of the giraffe herd’s habitat. According to the statement, zoo keepers were routinely shifting the herd into their night barn when the calf began to scamper about the feeding yard. Zoo officials say she died immediately from three broken neck vertebrae.

Kipenzi’s mother, Katie, was allowed to visit the calf’s body before veterinarians and zoo keepers removed it.

Kipenzi’s birth April 10 was live-streamed on the Animal Planet website. Kipenzi is Swahili for “loved one.”