BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Johari, a 17-year-old giraffe, gave birth to a male calf Tuesday morning at the Brevard County Zoo, officials announced Wednesday.
The calf, which has not yet been named, was about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 160 pounds during its first exam, officials said.
The calf is the first giraffe born at the zoo since March 2016. It’s Johari’s eighth calf and her fifth male. Rafiki, 18, is the father of the giraffe.
“All animals born at the zoo undergo a neonatal exam where we check their overall health,” said Michelle Smurl, the zoo’s director of animal programs. “Everything looks good so far."
Seven of the zoo’s eight giraffes belong to the Masai subspecies, which is native to Tanzania and southern Kenya. Habitat loss, poaching, disease and civil unrest pose the most significant threats to wild giraffes.
Cox Media Group
