Third Time’s a Charm! Ft. Worth Zoo Welcomes Two More Baby Giraffes

Apparently, this town is big enough for the three of them! Two more giraffes have been born at the Fort Worth Zoo: a male born July 1, weighing 145 pounds and standing exactly 6 feet tall, and a female born July 11, weighing 132 pounds, standing 5 feet, 5 inches tall. This brings the baby count to three this summer after Lucchese’s birth on May 7. There are no names yet – but stay tuned – it’s sure to be the talk of Cowtown!

The two newest calves took their first steps into the African Savanna with the rest of the herd this morning. The giraffes share their space with a variety of species that they would coexist in the wild with, like ostriches, springbok, kudu, and various African birds.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Giraffe Conservation Foundation estimate that the giraffe population has decreased by 30 percent over the last 20 years in the wild, facing what many are calling a “silent extinction.” The Fort Worth Zoo participates in a cooperative breeding program with other accredited zoos around the country in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population of giraffes as a hedge against extinction. Since 2000, Fort Worth Zoo animal staff has facilitated the births of 26 giraffe calves, including Lucchese and the two newest calves.

The African Savanna habitat has room to house a herd of up to 18. This will allow the Zoo to continue breeding these endangered animals and give guests the opportunity to learn more about them, observe up close and connect with this species.