Baby giraffe born at Como Zoo
A baby giraffe was born at Como Zoo on Sunday, September 1. She weighs 130 pounds and stands 5 feet 8 inches tall. She is the 17th giraffe born in captivity at Como in the last 20 years, according to a release sent by the zoo.
Como’s current herd consists of Clover (mother), Daisy, Skeeter (father) and the yet-to-be-named female.
The giraffe is the tallest of all land-living animal species. They can be as tall as 18 feet tall and have a prehensile (used for grasping) tongue as long as 18 inches. During the first two years of a giraffe’s life, it doubles it height and can be over 12-feet tall. Giraffe gestation lasts between 14 and 15 months, after which a single calf is born.
Like human fingerprints, the markings or spots of a giraffe’s coat are unique to each individual. Reticulated giraffes are native to the dry savannahs and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. (release)
If you go: the baby giraffe will be moved into a public viewing area Sunday, September 8.
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