Maryland Zoo welcomes unexpected baby giraffe
The Maryland Zoo has welcomed a special spring surprise. Their newest giraffe unexpectedly gave birth to a female calf.
Zookeepers said when the 4-year-old mom Kipi arrived in November, they didn't know she was pregnant.
They said the giraffe had a change in her behavior on March 26 and, lo and behold, she gave birth the next day.
Zookeepers said giraffes usually don't show when they're pregnant because of their larger body size. Reticulated giraffes have a gestation period of about 14 months, zoo officials said.
The baby giraffe is healthy, and Kipi is a great first-time mother.
Zoo officials said visitors were able to see Kipi starting Jan. 17 inside the Giraffe House.
Giraffes at the Maryland Zoo
The Maryland Zoo mourned the loss of a 6-year-old giraffe named Willow in March 2023 after she experienced a sharp decline in her appetite and unexpectedly died a few days later.
Willow was born at the zoo in 2017. At the time she was the first giraffe calf to be born at the zoo in over 20 years. She was born to female, Juma and male Caesar, who still lives in the Giraffe House at the zoo.
Maryland Zoo additions
The Maryland Zoo welcomed several new animals in 2024, including adorable opossums Moose and Salmon, a baby chimpanzee named Ivy and a northern ground hornbill chick named Rwenzori.
The zoo also said goodbye to Mr. Greedy, a beloved African Penguin who helped to rebuild the species' population in zoos across North America.
Mr. Greedy was the oldest penguin at the zoo at 33 years old, surpassing the average penguin lifespan of 18 years. He lived to see five generations of his offspring.
He was survived by Mrs. Greedy, a female penguin that he mated with when they arrived at the zoo in 1992.
