A Masai Giraffe Calf Gets Lots of Attention
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has welcomed a Masai giraffe calf. The youngster, a male who has yet to be named, was born to mother (dam) Mara and father (sire) Gowon. The calf’s arrival helps support the genetic diversity of Masai giraffes and ensures their global population remains strong and healthy.
Giraffes are very attentive to and protective of their newborns. Just as they would in native habitats, giraffe dams at the Safari Park temporarily separate themselves from the rest of the herd for labor and delivery, allowing them to bond with their calf. When the dam and calf rejoin the rest of the herd, the other females will take turns watching over the calf so the dam can feed herself. Guests can experience Mara and her calf bonding in the South Africa habitat.
Masai giraffes are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Masai giraffes have very few natural predators, but their populations have decreased in native habitat by 30 percent over the past 35 years due to challenges with human-wildlife coexistence, including unsustainable loss of habitat. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is proud to support Masai giraffe populations by being an active member of the Masai Giraffe Species Survival Plan Program and working to protect the natural habitat of giraffes through the Savanna Conservation Hub.
Category: Other
