WACO, Texas (FOX 44) – The Cameron Park Zoo is saddened by the passing of giraffe calf, Zuri and her mother Penelope. The mother daughter duo died within days of each other, Penelope n Wednesday and Zuri on Saturday.

Right now, the zoo does not have any conclusive answers as to why they passed.

Interim Director, Duane Hills says, “The zoo is grappling with this devastating news. Keepers are definitely impacted because they have a bond with the animals as well. And so we’re just really dealing with the loss and processing.”

Penelope and Zuri were two of four giraffes at the Cameron Park Zoo, they were members of the Masai species, known for their distinct and irregular star-like blotches extending to their hooves.

The zoo is awaiting test results, before making any assumptions about the mother to calf correlation to their deaths.

An animal autopsy was completed to determine the exact cause of death for the giraffes, but there is no timeline for answers.

The zoo will also have an independent review performed to ensure they didn’t overlook any type of care for the giraffes.The community will greatly miss the mother daughter duo, in addition to the zoo keepers.

“We’ve received a lot of messages, a lot of calls, and so we just really appreciate the support. Not only are we grieving here, but we know that the community is grieving. This is their zoo. They come and visit us often. They love the animals just like we do. And so we recognize that not only are we grieving, but so is the community” says Hills.