For Immediate Release
Contact: Gina Stiles (904) 757-4463 ext. 210; Cell Phone – (904) 655-3632  

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Celebrates Arrival of Its 28th Baby Giraffe

Video of the birth

Video from jacksonville.com

Photos by John Reed

July 9, 2009 – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced the birth of a male reticulated giraffe calf on July 7th at 6:07 p.m.  He had to first handle a six foot drop from the end of the birth canal to the ground, but since movement is normally slow until the hips are clear, his front feet and head were close to the ground by the time the free fall began.  Giving birth while standing is normal for giraffes and is nature’s way of breaking the umbilical cord. 

The calf weighs 128 pounds, is five and one-half feet tall and doing well.  The calf will be in the giraffe outside holding area beginning this weekend and can be seen up close from the train. A time-lapsed video of the birth and on-going progress of the calf will be available at jacksonvillezoo.org beginning Monday, July 13th.

This is the fifth offspring for the mother, Zawadi, a 15-year-old that came to Jacksonville from Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, on May 4, 1996.    The calf’s father is Duke, the nearly 12-year-old patriarch of the giraffe herd, who has sired three of Zawadi’s four other offspring since he came to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens from the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, Ohio, in April of 2003.  This is the 28th giraffe born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  The Zoo now has nine giraffes in its collection. 

“As in any birth, the first 24 hours is crucial,” said Delfi Messinger, Director of Animal Programs for the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  “After completion of a neonatal or “well baby” exam, the calf is off to a good start.  The calf was standing on all fours within an hour of the birth and is now walking, sitting, standing and nursing properly.  The keepers and Animal Health staff will continue to monitor the newborn closely,” she concluded.

A big celebration is being planned for the release of mother and calf into the Giraffe Overlook exhibit in approximately two weeks. A press conference will be held at that time to announce the name of the major donor for the exhibit and the name they’ve picked for the new baby giraffe.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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