BALTIMORE — The Maryland Zoo says its latest resident, a 3-year-old reticulated giraffe, is settling in nicely but is in need of one particular thing: a name.
The female giraffe arrived from another zoo and is not currently available to the public as she goes through a standard quarantine and gets to know the Maryland Zoo's other giraffes.
“Giraffes are naturally cautious animals so we’re giving our new female plenty of time to get acclimated,” said Erin Cantwell Grimm, Mammal Curator at the Maryland Zoo. “She’s already been introduced to our older female, Kesi, who is a calming influence and we’re pleased with how well she’s doing.”
The zoo's Giraffe House is temporarily closed, however, the male giraffe will be visible outside during nice weather.
Once the new giraffe is comfortable, the zoo says keepers will slowly begin to expose her to outside people in increasingly larger groups.
At just 12 feet tall, the new giraffe is smaller than the zoo's other female giraffe, Kesi, who is 14 feet tall and the male giraffe, Caeser who stands 16 feet tall. Additionally, the young giraffe has a horn in the center of her head, right above the eyes.
Now, when it comes to her name, the zoo is allowing anyone who donates $100 or more to the zoo to be entered for a chance to name the new giraffe. The money will go to care for the new animal and the zoo's wildlife conservation programs.
Click here for more on how to donate and possibly help name the new giraffe.
