Help name new galloping baby giraffe at Birmingham Zoo
The new baby giraffe at The Birmingham Zoo experienced her first day outdoors on Monday.
On Tuesday, under warm sunlight, she galloped across the yard. Later she walked towards her mother, Ruby, nuzzled up to her, and began nursing.
The baby giraffe was born April 17, to Ruby and father Jalil. She’s the first giraffe born at the zoo since 2014.
It’s Ruby’s first calf. “It’s really exciting to see how her maternal instincts kicked in,” said Annie Kaspar, zoological manager for the Trails of Africa.
She’s out and about, and visitors can see the newest addition to the zoo Wednesday through Sunday from about 10 a.m. to noon while she’s allowed to wander from the barn out onto the yard in the Trails of Africa.
She still doesn’t have a name, but the Birmingham Zoo wants visitors to help choose.
The zoo’s social media posts will soon offer the chance to vote for four possible names:
Mopane, which is the name of an African tree with leaves giraffes like to eat
Binit, which means “daughter” in Swahili
Zahara, which means “flower” in Swahili
Kabira, which means powerful in Swahili