Visitors to the Virginia Zoo witnessed a rare sight when they watched a mother giraffe, part of an endangered species, give birth to her ninth calf earlier this month.
Mother and child, part of the Masai species, were both doing well after a pleasant surprise, Virginia Zoo in Norfolk reported. The female giraffe named Tissa weighed 122.5 pounds and was six feet tall.
“The arrival of the calf was also unique in that zoo visitors were able to experience the birth, which took place that morning at the zoo’s giraffe barn,” the zoo said in a statement.
“The zoo’s animal care staff was preparing for the calf’s arrival, although the exact due date is never certain.”
a Video posted by Zoo Facebook shows a mother named Imara, who cares for her youngest child after welcoming him into the world on September 9.
The Masai giraffe was designated as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2019. National Geographic reported. Giraffes are mostly seen in Kenya and Tanzania and have fallen in numbers due to poaching and habitat loss.
The species of giraffe is considered endangered.
The female giraffe weighed 122.5 pounds and was six feet tall.
The new calf has been named Tissa.
The zoo said an examination of Tissa by zoo doctors ten days after her birth found that she was “healthy and full of personality!”
“The mother and baby are bonding to each other, and the calf is milking well. She looks strong and is already learning to run!”
The recent birth is the ninth for Imara and the 15th for father Billy, according to the zoo. The two adult giraffes were matched “based on the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for Masai Giraffes,” the zoo said.
The name Tissa comes from the Swahili language, meaning nine to mark the number of children Imara now has and to denote the date of birth of the calf.
The zoo now has five giraffes in its herd.