Mom and baby giraffe.
John Linehan, President and CEO of Zoo New England, today announced the birth of a male giraffe at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo, weighing in at 164 pounds and standing at 6-feet, 4-inches tall.
The calf was born to mother Jana and sire Beau, both of whom are ranked very highly in terms of their importance to maintaining the genetic diversity of the North American captive Masai giraffe population.
Diagnosed with the incurable Giraffe Wasting Syndrome (GWS) in October 2003, Beau was brought back from the brink of death, and is now by far the longest living giraffe in the world having been diagnosed with this condition. The new baby is the third calf born to Beau and Jana.
“Beau, Jana and all of us at Zoo New England are thrilled at the safe arrival of this miracle baby calf to carry on their legacy. He is a healthy calf and is responding well to all of the excitement surrounding him,” said John Linehan. “ To have Beau and Jana’s genes passed on to the next generation was a primary goal from a conservation standpoint and, given Beau’s health history, was one we weren’t sure would ever come to pass. It is to the great credit of the extraordinary veterinary team at Zoo New England that Beau was able to reproduce even once, let alone three times! This is an incredible accomplishment for Zoo New England and one that we are very proud of.”
Born on July 23 inside the Giraffe Barn at Franklin Park Zoo, the baby giraffe was standing within an hour of his birth. The calf appears strong and healthy and has been observed nursing, which are good signs. However, Zoo New England’s veterinary staff cautions that, as with any birth, the first few days are critical and a full determination as to the health of this newborn may take a week or more. Assuming the baby progresses as expected, he will join his parents and sister on exhibit at Franklin Park Zoo later this summer.
“Our new calf does not have a name yet, but we plan to select one following a naming contest to support the zoo’s ongoing private fundraising activities,” said Linehan. “The opportunity to name a giraffe is a rare and exciting occasion which we look forward to sharing in with our many members and visitors. We look forward to sharing more details on our naming context as soon as we have details.”
Beau and Jana were bred as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Giraffe Population Management Plan (PMP). PMPs provide nationally-coordinated population management recommendations for zoo and aquarium species. Proper population management can ensure the long-term survival of the captive population and the health of individual animals.
Mom and baby giraffe.
