The Potawatomi Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a female Masai giraffe calf to mother Zindzhi on Sunday, October 13, 2024. Video is available HERE on our YouTube site.
The calf was checked by veterinarian and animal care staff, and both she and Zindzhi seem to be healthy and thriving. The calf weighed around 135 pounds at birth and is about six feet tall. Adult female Masai giraffes can be around 16 feet tall and weigh up to 2700 pounds.
The calf may be visible to the public in the giraffe barn or outside, weather permitting. While she’s still a baby, the calf’s outdoor access may be limited to sunny and 60 degrees.
“We’re so excited about this calf,” says Josh Sisk, executive director of the Potawatomi Zoo. “This is an incredible opportunity for us to educate our visitors about giraffes in the wild, which is at the heart of our mission. But not only that, it’s also an incredible opportunity for the community, who has supported the Zoo and its giraffes every step of the way, to watch our first calf grow up.”
Zindzhi was already pregnant when she arrived at the Potawatomi Zoo in November 2023. The father is a male Masai giraffe from her previous residence, another Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility.
Gestation for giraffes is 14 to 15 months. Mothers give birth standing up, and the calf will fall about six feet to the ground at birth. Calves can stand, walk, nurse, and run within hours of being born.
The calf will nurse for about 9-12 months, but she’ll start eating solid food at around 4 months old.
Scientists estimate that there are fewer than 90,000 giraffes in the world. Their conservation status is considered vulnerable to extinction.
Masai giraffes are the largest of the species or subspecies of giraffe. They’re native to southern Kenya and Tanzania. They’re considered endangered in the wild, and their population is decreasing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates there are around 35,000 Masai giraffes.