It’s a boy! Lion Country Safari guests witnessed something incredible from their cars
Lucky travelers that took a post-holiday trip to Lion Country Safari Tuesday were greeted with a unique experience: the birth of a giraffe calf.
Shortly after the Palm Beach County drive-thru zoo had opened, guests were able to watch from their cars Ayanna, an 18-year-old female giraffe, give birth to her calf son, Lion Country Safari said.
The not-yet-named calf is quite a bit larger than the average human baby. He weighs in at about 150 pounds and stands at 5 feet 10 inches tall. Calves are usually able to stand and run within hours of birth, the zoo said.
Lion Country Safari is holding a naming competition for the boy on its Facebook. The three names in the running are: Kandoro (which means sweet potato); Mahaba (meaning love); and Kianga (meaning sunshine).
The zoo now cares for 17 giraffes, one of the largest herds in the country, Lion Country Safari said. Giraffes are listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and two of the subspecies are listed as “Critically Endangered.”
The calf and his mother can be seen by visitors as they spend time bonding in a maternity area at the end of the safari park.
This story was originally published December 30, 2022 at 10:04 PM.
%20Cropped%20(2).jpg)