Lion Country Safari welcomes giraffe baby
FORT LAUDERDALE - It's a boy! Lion Country Safari welcomed a very special addition this week.
Shortly after opening on Tuesday, Dec. 27th, the drive-through safari park and walk-through amusement park in Palm Beach welcomed a male giraffe calf to its herd. Guests visiting the park had a unique opportunity to witness the incredible birth from their cars.
The calf weighed approximately 150 pounds and stood an impressive 5 feet, 10 inches tall.
He is now spending quality time bonding with his mom, an 18-year-old female name Ayanna, in a maternity area that is visible to guests in the last section of the safari.
As for the new arrival's name, that is for the public to decide. Lion Country Safari has invited everyone to vote for their favorite name from a list on the park's Facebook page.
Giraffes reproduce year-round, with females giving birth to a single large calf after a gestation period of approximately fifteen months. Calves are usually able to stand and run within a few hours following birth.
Giraffes are undergoing a silent extinction and have experienced a 30% decline in population since the 1980's. As a single species, giraffes are listed as "Vulnerable," on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species and two of the subspecies are now listed as "Critically Endangered."
Lion Country Safari cares for 17 giraffes, one of the largest herds in the country.