With spring on the horizon, everything fresh and new is welcomed with open arms. We love seeing blooms, greenery and new life pop up all around, pulling us out of the cold of winter.
Personally, I love seeing all the baby animals pop up in droves, especially those at zoos across the country. Arizona’s Reid Park Zoo in Tucson recently announced a new addition to its reticulated giraffe habitat: a calf.
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Baby Giraffe is an Adorable Addition to Reid Park Zoo
Arizona may not be a giraffe’s natural home, but the Reid Park Zoo has made a lovely habitat for its resident pair. Recently, the giraffes Penelope and Jasiri welcomed a not-so-little bundle of joy on Feb. 23, raising hopes of growing the species’ population.
“The new calf was born at 4:10 p.m. on Monday, was standing a little over an hour after his birth, and nursing shortly after that. That is exactly where we wanted him to be,” said Adam Ramsey, Director of Animal Care, in a press release.
Both mom and baby are doing well and have moved on to bonding in private. So visitors shouldn’t expect to see them just yet, and the zoo doesn’t have a plan for when they will be gracing the main habitat. Ramsey said they are waiting for cues from the calf and his mom to “guide that decision.”
Related: Philly Zoo’s Puma Siblings Have a Cat-tastic Time Zooming Through the Snow
Penny is a part of the Species Survival Plan, along with Jasiri. The calf isn’t the duo’s first contribution to furthering their species. Their first calf, Moyo, was sent to another zoo last year, where Moyo will also be a part of the SSP, helping to grow their species.
“As an accredited zoo, we work very closely with the SSPs for the species that call Reid Park Zoo home. It helps to ensure the longevity and health of our animals and their future generations,” Ramsey said. “Penny was wonderful and attentive as a first-time mom, and she has been immediately attentive to her newborn calf. She has been grooming him, being patient while he’s nursing, and is aware of where he is at all times.”
While the calf may weigh 180 pounds and stand 6 feet tall, his most notable distinction is that his pattern resembles his father’s, while his spots closely resemble his mother’s, with chestnut patches and thin white outlines.
Related: New Baby Giraffe at Toledo Zoo Has the Most Adorable Bonus ‘Feature’
Giraffe Population Decline
Conservation efforts are imperative due to the decline of giraffes in the wild. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, African giraffe populations are estimated to be 140,000. Though that number includes all four giraffe species, and three of those are critically threatened and in need of fervent efforts.
The four species are the Masai giraffe, Northern giraffe, Southern giraffe, and the reticulated giraffe, which is the same species as Reid Park Zoo’s newest baby. Unfortunately, the little calf’s species is among the three facing an imminent threat to its natural habitat. The giraffes are typically found in Kenya, with some scattered in Somalia and Ethiopia.
But over the past 35 years, the population has dropped 35 percent, leaving around 20,900 left in the wild. The animals were added to the IUCN Red List as endangered in 2018 due to their jarring decline. While Kenya’s government works to preserve the African population, accredited zoos work together to implement the SSP and grow their own populations, ensuring the species’ survival.
This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Mar 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.