A Female Masai Giraffe Calf Born 2018
A female Masai Giraffe calf was born at the LA Zoo on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, to mother, Hasina, and father, Phillip. The currently unnamed calf weighed in at 176 pounds and stands at around six feet tall. This will be the nine-year-old mother’s fourth calf and the six-year-old father’s third calf. Hasina and Phillip were paired together through a Species Survival Plan (SSP) program that breeds Masai giraffes in order to ensure the survival of a species that is threatened in the wild. The calf arrived just in time for World Giraffe Day, Thursday, June 21, which was a special day designated to shed light on the current conservation efforts for different subspecies of giraffe.
Giraffes are the tallest land mammal, and Masai giraffes can grow up to 17 feet tall and weigh 2,700 pounds. The largest of the nine subspecies of giraffe, Masai giraffes are found in East Africa, namely southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. Giraffes are currently categorized as “vulnerable” because their populations are under threat and declining due to habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal hunting, and disease.
Read MoreGiraffes are the tallest land mammal, and Masai giraffes can grow up to 17 feet tall and weigh 2,700 pounds. The largest of the nine subspecies of giraffe, Masai giraffes are found in East Africa, namely southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. Giraffes are currently categorized as “vulnerable” because their populations are under threat and declining due to habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal hunting, and disease.
