The Seneca Park Zoo is mourning the loss of another Masai giraffe calf.

Parker Jr., known as PJ, was just born in December. Zoo officials say he died after what appeared to be a seizure. A necropsy listed the cause of death as an infection of tissues around the brain that they say appears to be bacterial.

Staff members say Parker Jr. was found to have medical issues the day after its birth. Veterinarians agreed it was likely tendonitis or a potential nerve issue. The calf was under treatment and appeared to be improving. However, staff say he began to decline in mid-February and then died suddenly on Saturday, despite their efforts.

“Our animal care, animal health and veterinary staff were heroic in their efforts to save PJ,” said Seneca Park Zoo Superintendent Steve Lacy. “Teams worked around the clock to provide an exemplary level of care. We ask the public to please keep them in your thoughts during this difficult time.” 

“As an AZA-accredited facility, the Seneca Park Zoo must adhere to AZA’s rigorous accreditation standards, which continuously evolve to ensure the best animal wellbeing possible. The incidents involving their giraffe program are heartbreaking for the Seneca Park Zoo team and our community,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “We are confident that the Seneca Park Zoo is taking every action to assure the care of their animals and to learn from this tragic loss.”

The zoo has endured tragedies with other animals in the giraffe program fairly recently.

Parker Jr.'s father died in Feb. 2023 after becoming caught in a support structure for the giraffe enclosure gate and was found unresponsive.

Zoo veterinarians made the difficult decision to euthanize a male calf in July 2022 after a congenital joint abnormality in his front leg failed to improve. The calf was given constant therapy but it did not help.

Parker Jr.'s mother Kipenzi is currently suffering from a squamous cell carcinoma growth on her jaw, which zoo veterinarians say is inoperable because of its location within the bone. Staff members say the tumor will eventually be fatal, but Kipenzi is defying the odds and showing no signs of pain.

The zoo says its other adult female giraffe Iggy and her calf Pippi are thriving.