ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Rozie the Asian elephant at the ABQ BioPark is stable and recovering after giving birth to a stillborn calf early Tuesday morning.

According to the BioPark, the gestation period for an Asian elephant is 18-22 months. Rozie reached 18 months in mid-October, prompting staff to watch her around the clock. At around 9 p.m. Monday, they reported she went into labor.

After around three-and-a-half hours in labor, they delivered the calf. However, the calf wasn’t moving.

Rozie saw this and tried to get the calf to wake up while her mother, Alice, stood by. After multiple attempts, animal care and veterinary staff decided to enter the birthing barn and tend to the calf.

That is when the staff pronounced the calf dead.

“Asian elephants are endangered, so every elephant birth is important.” said Amber Alink, the curator of elephants and primates at the ABQ BioPark. “We know how much our community cares about our herd and thank you for your compassion, understanding, and support as we care for Rozie and the herd as they, too, process this unexpected loss.”

According to the BioPark, they may not know the conclusive cause of death for several weeks.

“Asian elephants are an endangered species, and wild populations continue to decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation. This calf is a significant loss, not just for the BioPark and the Albuquerque community, but for the species as a whole,” the BioPark stated in a news release issued Tuesday.

Animal care and veterinary teams are closely watching Rozie. She is reportedly eating and drinking normally and staff are providing her with her favorite treats.