Skip to main content

VIDEO: Pregnant giraffe Tufani eating for two

Posted by: Alissa Wolken, Communications
Video and photo by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo

Spring has officially arrived, and it’s brought baby fever with it; giraffe baby fever to be specific! 

Like many zoos around the country, we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a giraffe calf after confirming earlier this year that 8-year-old Tufani is expecting her first baby. With a gestation period of 14 to 15 months, we're expecting a tall delivery anywhere from mid-May to early July 2017.

So, what does it take to keep a pregnant Tufani comfortable and healthy? Lead keeper, and giraffe doula, Katie Ahl gives us the scoop on a few tricks of the trade.


VIDEO: Lead keeper Katie Ahl welcomes us to the giraffe barn where she explains the special enrichment and diet that goes into caring for a pregnant giraffe. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCGPkiqKVo0)


Tufani (left) with her nephew Misawa in 2013. 

The father is handsome 4-year-old Dave of course. This will be the first baby for both parents who were paired under a breeding recommendation made by the Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP), a conservation breeding program to ensure genetic diversity and demographic stability. Along with aunt Olivia and mom and dad, the baby giraffe will eventually share the savanna with zebras, gazelle and ostrich.

A Baby Giraffe Registry
You can help provide top notch care for expecting Tufani, and other African Savanna animals, by purchasing items from Woodland Park Zoo’s “baby shower” gift registry on Amazon: www.zoo.org/registry.

Bucket lids, chew balls and a molasses lick...what more could a pregnant giraffe (and her dedicated keepers) ask for?

Visit the baby giraffe registry www.zoo.org/registry
Your generous in-kind gift can qualify as a tax-deductible contribution. Please include your name, address and email in the "Gift Message" field when checking-out so we can send you a tax receipt and say thank you! For tracking purposes, please forward your purchase confirmation to donations@zoo.​org.
If you're as excited about this news as we are, then you'll be pleased to hear that we will be sharing updates on Tufani and crew right here as soon as we have more news to share. Thank you for showing your love for giraffes and all African Savanna animals.


Save the Date
Spring Safari: African Wildlife Conservation Day
Saturday, April 8, 2017

Celebrate the African savanna and the amazing animals that live there. This full day of activities focuses on migration patterns of African animals, educational keeper talks and special enrichment sessions to heighten awareness about issues such as illegal poaching and habitat loss, and how your choices and actions can help save giraffe, lions, ostrich and other critical savanna animals.
Gazelle and zebra in the mixed species African Savanna exhibit.

Comments

dblbara said…
Has the zoo considered doing a live cam feed like is happening with April the Giraffe?
We don't plan to live stream the birth, but we are hoping to set a web cam up once the baby is born.
Cyndi said…
What is the registry listed under? If I click the link, it tells me to search for a registry.
Are you on a mobile device? Some mobile users are having trouble getting directly to the registry through the link. You can hit Find a List or Registry and search for Woodland Park Zoo as the name. Thanks!
Anonymous said…
Please do:)... it would be great to get to know our giraffes here at "home"... especially after this whole amazing experience with April.
Unknown said…
Please please do a live feed for Tufani!! This experience with April has been amazing! Can we please follow your beautiful expecting giraffe?? A lot of people are hoping that you guys do decide to go live soon! :)
Unknown said…
Please have a live feed!! There are many that want to watch and support!! It would be good PR for the zoo!
Anonymous said…
We are coming to Seattle from CT in mid June, we are going to your zoo. It wasn't in our plans but after seeing April "live cam" for 2 months, we just have to come see yours in person!
Anonymous said…
What park in their right mind would want to go thru what AAP did? Bombarded by emails, everyone questioning their every move, having to explain that they are the keepers and not the public. I would say no thanks.
Unknown said…
Please do a live cam. I have a group called GA (giraffe aholic anonymous) we want to cover this story and help you raise a lot of money for your giraffes and the park!
Unknown said…
Please do a live cam. I have a group called GA. Giraffe aholic anonymous. We want to help you raise a lot of money for your giraffes and your zoo/ park. Also we want to help in any way we can. Please let me know. I've sent you a message.
Unknown said…
Just a suggestion? If you're not considering a live cam, can you please just video tape the birth and post it for us? Please? I've seen quite a few video clips of other babies being born the past couple of months! So nice to see and to know the baby and mom is well. xx Praying that all goes well! <3
That's the plan! Of course, we can't guarantee it'll work out because she could go into labor at any time, but we're doing all the planning we can to make sure we have a good chance of capturing the birth.