<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An icon of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="" title="Sydney"><span>Sydney</span></a><span> Zoo has died due to complications during birth.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nzuri the giraffe and her unborn calf passed away due to severe complications during labour on last Thursday night.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sydney Zoo said in a statement animal care staff noticed signs of active labour in Nzuri but as the process progressed, it became apparent that the birth was not proceeding normally.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/rain-to-soak-australia-this-week/d44e39b5-19ea-4e01-a534-840689b84018" target="_blank"><strong><span>Cold fronts to bring Australia-wide soaking this week</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A team of three veterinarians and two veterinary nurses immediately intervened and assisted with the delivery.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However the team found the calf was in an abnormal position with the calf's head and neck positioned in the wrong way, which made a safe delivery "impossible".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The calf died and Nzuri's condition "severely deteriorated" due to the stress and difficulty of the birth.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-zoo-giraffe-nzuri-and-her-unborn-calf-dies-due-to-severe-complications-during-birth-new-south-wales-animals/59dbe9bb-79b6-4c73-a0ff-2563c5fb14a4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sydney Zoo exotics animal care manager Tim Bennett said the deaths were "incredibly heartbreaking" for everyone involved.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our animal care team did everything possible to try and save both the calf and the mother Nzuri," Bennett said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Decisions like this are never made lightly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The animal's welfare is always our primary concern."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span></span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>