Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo announces birth of new giraffe calf
By Jake Anderson
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OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — There’s a new addition at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo.
The zoo announced that a female giraffe calf was born at 12:40 a.m. on March 19.
She successfully stood for the first time about an hour later at 1:30 a.m., according to the zoo.
The new calf weighs 108 pounds and stands 5 feet, 7 inches tall, Henry Doorly Zoo said.
Zola, an 8-year-old giraffe, is a first-time mom, and her calf is the fifth in the current giraffe barn. The father is a 14-year-old giraffe named Jawara.
The zoo said that Zola did not show the “expected level of maternal care toward her calf despite a normal delivery.” This led to Veterinary and Animal Care teams to intervene and they are providing “around-the-clock” care, according to Henry Doorly Zoo.
“Our team spends months preparing for animal births and for as many different outcomes as imaginable,” Dr. Taylor Yaw, Director of Animal Health for the zoo, said in a statement. “In this case, as we monitored Mom and calf after the birth, we were able to make the decision to intervene. We provided nutrition and medical care to the calf, which included a plasma transfusion from father Jawara’s previously banked plasma. Our team is working to transition the calf to a bottle.”
Zola is doing well with the herd, but the zoo will continue to monitor her, and the herd room will be closed to the public to allow for quiet time for the new calf.
“Our teams are excited about this birth, and cautiously optimistic that our treatments, supportive care and unwavering dedication will help this baby Giraffe survive,” Dr. Luis R. Padilla, President and CEO of the zoo, said in a statement. “Our Giraffe calf is in the best hands, receiving continuous care and love from our talented veterinarians, technicians and caretakers.”
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