Malaysia's first captive-born baby elephant has died of a mystery illness, leaving shocked zoo keepers in tears, officials said today.

National Zoo spokesman Peter Yeo told AFP the baby jumbo died on Friday. It was born on June 5 to Sibol, a 23-year-old Malayan elephant.

"The calf was the darling of zoo officials and visitors. Many cried when they heard she died. We do not know the cause of the sudden death. Even today, visitors (unaware of its death) want to see the calf," he said.

Yeo said the calf, born under the zoo's captive breeding program, was healthy and did not show any sign of sickness until Wednesday.

Zoo director Jimin Idris was quoted by the Sunday Mail newspaper as saying that on Thursday, veterinarians attending to the calf found it was not defecating.

Course of antibiotics

On Friday the calf began running a temperature and the vets put it on drips and began a course of antibiotics.

Jimin said none of the measures worked and the calf succumbed to the mystery illness.

He said the zoo would seek the assistance of a local university to conduct a post-mortem examination.

"We want an independent party to do it. This will help avoid any allegations of cover-up or foul play ... although we have nothing to hide. We also want to know why the elephant died suddenly," he said.

Yeo said the zoo would continue its captive breeding programme. "The death will not discourage us."