Brevard Zoo welcomes newborn giraffe
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MELBOURNE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Early morning on April 25th, Brevard Zoo's 17-year-old giraffe, Johari, gave birth to a male calf.
The cute bundle of joy is the first giraffe born at the Zoo since March 2016. This is Johari's eighth calf and fifth male. The father is eighteen-year-old Rafiki.
Johari and her calf will remain behind the scenes for several weeks.
“All animals born at the Zoo undergo a neonatal exam where we check their overall health,” said Michelle Smurl, the Zoo’s director of animal programs. “The exam for this little one was conducted on Thursday and everything looks good so far!”
At the time of the exam, the calf was about 6’2” tall and weighed 160 pounds.
Seven of the Zoo’s eight giraffes belong to the Masai subspecies, which is native to Tanzania and southern Kenya. Habitat loss, poaching, disease and civil unrest pose the most significant threats to wild giraffe.