A young deer at the Stone zoo in Stoneham has died of a rare disease passed by ticks, state officials said as they confirmed with a veterinary.

Noelle, died at nearly 2 years of age was from a Minnesota farm and was transferred with her male companion Comelius. They were the first reindeer in the zoo in 12 years.

John Linehan, Zoo New England president said over the phone that she was well natured and could interact with the public safely. He said her death was sudden and a loss, to the zoo. She was calm and gentle around most people, something uncommon with most reindeer.

Noelle shed her first set of antlers last winter. They were 14-inches long and her second set, nearly 3 feet long, had already grown during the time of her death.

The zoo’s veterinary staff believes she had a blood parasite rare to the area known as Babesia odocoilei. The disease could remain dormant animals and undetectable in blood tests.

The disease would progress rapidly once the symptoms began to show even if treatment was made available.

On Wednesday morning she was found lying down and lethargic which alerted the zoo staff. Veterinarian Susan Bartlett, quickly recognized Noelle’s symptoms and began treatment but Noelle succumbed by early Wednesday evening.

Eric Baitchman, the zoo’s veterinary services director said her decline was so precipitous that treatment would not reverse the process and that, Dr. Bartlett was best equipped to handle her condition, having studied and published a paper on the particular parasitic disease.

The zoo’s staff and veterinary will keep a close eye on the remaining dear, Cornelius and a 13-year-old female named Linnae, who have been given preventive treatment.

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