So far this spring, the babies born at the Dallas Zoo have been pint sized. Until this month, that is.
On April 1, the zoo welcomed a “little leggy boy” to the giraffe herd. The baby giraffe stands at five-and-a-half feet tall, and weighs 138 pounds.
No word yet on when the shortest (but by no means short) member of the herd will be on public display, but he will be in good company. Last spring, the zoo welcomed a female giraffe calf who shares the same father, Tebogo, as the latest baby. The half-siblings have different mothers.
A full sibling, Nea, also lives in the herd and has interacted with the baby.
Tina Cloutier Barbour, associate vice president of animal care and welfare at the Dallas Zoo, told the Dallas Morning News that the calf required 24-hour monitoring after struggling to nurse right away. He is now healthy and bonding well with mom, Cloutier Barbour said, exhibiting an “inquisitive” and “calm demeanor.”
A name has not been announced for the baby, but the three choices on the short list all pertain to the baby’s birthday: April Fool’s.
🚨🦒 Baby alert! 🦒🚨 Meet the newest addition to our giraffe herd – a little leggy boy born on April 1 to proud parents Katie and Tebogo. This adorable guy weighs around 138 lbs. and stands about 5.5 feet tall. #DallasZoo #BabyGiraffe pic.twitter.com/yMszZDdbd5
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) April 15, 2024
