Brevard Zoo Welcomes Six Foot Tall, 158 Pound Male Dozenth Giraffe Born Oct. 19
By Elliot Zirulnik, Brevard Zoo Communications Manager // October 26, 2018
will make first appearance in Expedition Africa
ABOVE VIDEO: Brevard Zoo welcomed a newborn giraffe on Friday, October 19. The little one, a male, was born six feet tall and weighed 158 pounds. The as-yet-unnamed calf arrived around 5:15 a.m., entering the world feet-first.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Brevard Zoo welcomed a newborn giraffe on Friday, October 19. The little one, a male, was born six feet tall and weighed 158 pounds. The as-yet-unnamed calf arrived around 5:15 a.m., entering the world feet-first.
He is the ninth offspring of 18-year-old mother Johari and the twelfth sired by 20-year-old Rafiki.
“The newborn giraffe underwent a neonatal exam, where we checked his overall health,” said Michelle Smurl, the Zoo’s director of animal programs.
“He looked to be in great condition at his checkup on Saturday.”
The calf will remain behind the scenes with Johari for a few weeks before making his first appearance in Expedition Africa.
Eight of the Zoo’s nine giraffe belong to the Masai subspecies, which is native to Tanzania and southern Kenya. Habitat loss, poaching and civil unrest pose the most significant threats to giraffe in their natural habitat.
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