Baby giraffe dies hours after her birth at Nashville Zoo

- Tennessee, USA -

On Saturday, January 16, Nashville Zoo announced through a Facebook post that their 6-year-old giraffe Nasha, had given birth to her beautiful calf and wrote: “SURPRISE! 💛 Nasha's calf has arrived, just in a different way than we expected. There were some complications with labor and our veterinary team and keepers stepped in to assist with the birth off camera. Both mom and baby seem to be doing fine.

We will release more information about the baby and what happened with labor as we can. Thank you for your patience & support!”

A few hours later, a heartbreaking update announced that the newborn had passed away after she was accidentally stepped on by her mother.

This was Nasha's first birth.

According to the Zoo’s website: “Nasha, went into labor under the watchful eyes of thousands of people tuning in through an online live feed of the event. Shortly into labor, complications developed.

Nasha was not progressing appropriately with her delivery and medical intervention was required. With the help of Dr. Matthew DeLisle from Tennessee Equine Hospital, the Zoo's veterinary team was able to successfully deliver the calf.”

Dr. Heather Schwartz, Nashville Zoo's Director of Veterinary Medicine, said: “The calf appeared to be thriving on an initial exam. We moved the newborn to be with her mother and the two were bonding. During this time, Nasha may have inadvertently injured her calf. The giraffe keepers noticed that the calf was in distress.”

The Zoo explained that the animal care team intervened but attempts to save the baby giraffe were sadly unsuccessful.

An initial necropsy showed trauma to the neck, but further testing will follow to determine if there were any underlying causes for the newborn's death.

The mom is doing well, said the zoo, and her keepers will be giving her an abundance of comfort and care for the next few days.

Story on Voice For Us Facebook page

Well-preserved woolly rhino discovered in Siberia’s melting permafrost

- Siberia, Russia -

A few weeks ago, Russian media reported that a well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino with many of his/her internal organs still intact had been recovered from in Siberia.

The carcass was revealed in August by melting permafrost in Yakutia.

As reported by My Modern Met, being frozen allowed for incredible preservation of the rhino’s fur and internal organs, revealing a clearer picture of the animal's appearance and how he/she lived.

The frozen carcass revealed thick hazel-colored fur, and reportedly, the rhino is “among the best-preserved specimens of the Ice Age animal found to date. The carcass has most of its soft tissues still intact, including part of the intestines, thick hair, and a lump of fat. Its horn was found next to it.”

News Nation reports that Valery Plotnikov, a paleontologist with the regional branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said the woolly rhino likely drowned and was probably 3 or 4-years of age when he/she died.

Scientists dated the carcass as anywhere from 20,000- to 50,000-years-old.

More accurate results will be obtained after radiocarbon studies.

This isn’t the first time that such an amazing discovery has been found in Yakutia, reports My Modern Met.

In 2014, the world’s only baby woolly rhino named Sasha was discovered not far from where the new young rhino was buried.

Story on Voice For Us Facebook page

Queen’s guitarist Brian May launches badger-smelling cologne to raise money to protect wildlife

Ladies, leave a spot next to your favorite perfume, make space for a new fragrance!

Dr. Brian May, legendary guitarist with rock group Queen, launched a fragrance with the scent “sandalwood and badger” to help protect wildlife.

The 73-year-old musician has partnered with Xerjoff boss Sergio Momo on the perfume called ‘Save Me’ after the group's 1980 hit.

Brian says the perfume smells "amazing".

He added: “The scent has deliberately earthy overtones — a hint of clean badger fur, some sandalwood and something a bit limey. It’s surprisingly refreshing and hopefully will fly off the shelves.”

Metro reports that Brian said: “I’m excited about this unique collaboration. My great friend Sergio Momo has, with great generosity, designed a new perfume to benefit wildlife, through the famous company he created – Xerjoff – working with the Save Me Trust. Compassion has never smelled so sweet! “

Money raised from the sale of the cologne will go to Save Me Trust, an organization founded in 2010 by Brian and Ann Brummer to “protect the welfare and dignity of wild animals.”

Brian is known for his work protesting against badger culls.

Dothan Eagle reports that last year he hailed the British government's new policy to phase out the slaughtering of wild animals in favor of a vaccine to tackle bovine TB.