What to Know
- A young male Masai giraffe just made his debut at Los Angeles Zoo on Nov. 6
- A female Masai giraffe was born at Santa Barbara Zoo on Nov. 2
- The Santa Barbara Zoo baby remains off-view at this time; a naming contest is now open (check the zoo's social pages for details)
Encountering a newborn Masai giraffe can mean experiencing a sudden rush of elated emotions, the sorts of squeal-summoning, heart-lifting, smile-inducing feelings that a beautiful baby animal can so easily produce.
But if you multiply all of those happy palpitations by two? You've got something grand and gleeful, a giraffe-tastic joy that's double the fun.
And it just so happens that November is delivering all sorts of delights in this area. A young male Masai giraffe made his debut at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens on Nov. 6, while Santa Barbara Zoo announced on Nov. 6 that a female Masai giraffe had just been born on Nov. 2.
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The baby girl remains off-view as she bonds with her mother, but a naming contest is afoot on the zoo's social sites.
The Los Angeles youngster was born to his mother Zainabu and father Philip. Standing an impressive six feet, the calf weighs 174 pounds.
"We were happy to have a safe and healthy delivery of the newest arrival to our giraffe herd. He was standing, walking and nursing within 90 minutes after birth!" said Mike Bona, animal keeper at Los Angeles Zoo.
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"The LA Zoo strives to give our guests the opportunity to witness the development of a giraffe calf into an adult. These experiences help deepen their connection to wildlife and provide an opportunity to learn about the efforts that go into Masai giraffe conservation."
The Santa Barbara Zoo baby, born to third-time mother Adia, stood 23 minutes after her birth and weighed 152 pounds when examined.
"We are always excited to welcome another calf to our herd, but this one carries extra special significance, as she is the last offspring of our beloved giraffe Michael, who we lost earlier this year," shared Dr. Julie Barnes, the zoo's Vice President of Animal Care & Health.
"As we witness this calf's strength and vitality, we are reminded that Michael's legacy lives on, and our important work surrounding the conservation of this species continues."
For more on both long-of-leg, sweet-of-face youngsters, visit the Los Angeles Zoo and Santa Barbara Zoo sites and social pages now.
Pictured: The LA Zoo calf and mother Zainabu; the Santa Barbara Zoo baby soon after her birth.
