For immediate release
Contact:  Mercede Gardner, (904) 757-4463 ext. 211

It’s A Boy! 
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Announces Giraffe Birth

February 8, 2008 – Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is proud to announce the birth of a healthy male giraffe.  The calf was born on January 26, 2008 at 9:29 p.m. to Zawadi.  The calf first stood 36 minutes after birth and first nursed at 1 hour and 54 minutes after birth.  He is 5’7” and 142 pounds, and after a neonatal exam by Zoo staff, appears to be very healthy.  The mother is also doing very well and has demonstrated excellent maternal skills, including licking the calf to clean and stimulate it immediately following the birth.  This is Zawadi and Duke, the father’s, third offspring.  The calf, whose name will be determined at the Zoo’s premier annual fundraiser, ExZOOberation, will be on exhibit this weekend.

The gestation period for a giraffe is about fifteen months.  In the wild, calves spend much of their first week lying down and hiding, while the mother remains alert and prepared to defend her calf against predators such as lions and hyenas.  At birth, calves are approximately six-feet tall and weigh between 104 and 155 lbs.  Giraffes are the tallest animals and can reach up to eighteen feet in height and 1,200-4,000 lbs. in weight.  Giraffes have been part of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens collection since 1957. 

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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