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)
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)
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| 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?
Bucket lids, chew balls and a molasses lick...what more could a pregnant giraffe (and her dedicated keepers) ask for?
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| 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.
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.
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| Gazelle and zebra in the mixed species African Savanna exhibit. |
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