The Wilds celebrate the birth of the giraffe – News – The Columbus Dispatch

Visitors to The Wilds in Muskingum County witnessed a rare and unforgettable spectacle on Tuesday. birth of a calf Masai giraffe

The male calf was born in one of the pastures of the conservation center in the late afternoon and is healthy and strong. He still roams the meadows but stays close to his mother, Lulu, 5, born at the Cincinnati Zoo. This is his first calf

The father of the calf is Raha, 12, born at the Los Angeles Zoo.

The breeding of couples has been recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a non-profit group of more than 230 accredited members in the United States and abroad.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are waiting for their own giraffe babies later this year. Two pregnant giraffes must give birth between the end of August and mid-September and the end of September and mid-October. Giraffe babies will be the zoo's first since 1999.

Giraffes are vulnerable in their native habitats of Africa, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their populations are declining due to multiple factors, mainly habitat loss and poaching.

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@AlissaWidman