Reticulated Giraffe Archives - Page 5 of 9

Tune in for an update on BB! Keepers estimate that this growing girl now weighs about 160 pounds, up more than 40 pounds since her birth on September 28. She has also started eating solid foods, like elm browse. Because she is interested in solid foods, her keepers can tell that her rumen – the first chamber of a giraffe’s four-chambered stomach – is developing well.

BB is becoming more curious about her keepers, which is really fun for them. It’s also helpful in building a trusting relationship with BB that will support future training efforts. On warm days, she is outside with the herd, enjoying the sun and zooming around the yard. See BB daily on our giraffe cams and on the temporary indoor cam, available while buildings are closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, at cmzoo.org/giraffecam.

Our little giraffe calf is one month old today! Two of her keepers, Amy and Tori, are here with the update we know you’ve all been waiting for. It’s time to name the baby! This calf has the honor of being named by the care team that has helped her grow over the past month.

As you may know, 8-year-old reticulated giraffe, Bailey, gave birth on Sept. 28, 2020, to a healthy female giraffe calf, who we named BB on her one-month birthday! Join African Rift Valley Senior Lead Keeper, Amy, for a recap of the littlest herd member’s first month of progress.

You can watch BB, Bailey and the rest of the 17-member giraffe herd on our two outdoor yard cameras, live daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. MT, on the Zoo’s YouTube channel at or on the giraffe cam page on our website at http://cmzoo.org/giraffecam.

WATCH THE VIDEO PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE

Our little giraffe calf explored with the big yard for the first time this morning with several members of the herd! She enjoyed the sunshine, stretched those legs with some major zoomies, investigated some of the guineafowl and was met with enthusiasm from staff, guests and giraffe alike. So far, she has met Ohe, Mashama, Msichana, Panya, Laikipia, Twiga, Msitu and Muziki. Today, she was outside with her mom, Bailey, and Ohe, Mashama, Msichana, Laikipia, Twiga, Msitu and Muziki.

She’ll continue exploring the big yard as weather allows and will meet more members of the herd as she grows up. These excursions won’t be scheduled, but guests should be able to see her on a regular basis outside with the herd and inside the barn. Speaking of the barn, it’s nearly time to turn off the temporary birth cam. On the calf’s 3-week birthday on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, we will turn it off permanently at 4:45 p.m. Enjoy the birth cam until then. After that, you should be able to see her more and more on our year-round outdoor cams, available daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. MT.

We’ll keep you posted as this adorable little girl continues to grow up! Watch her entire video playlist here

#CMZoo Vice President of Mission and Programs, Dr. Liza, is here with giraffe keepers, Rachael and Kayla, with an update on baby’s progress. She’s nursing well, sleeping well, getting up and down, and hitting the giraffe calf milestones her care team wants to see. The ligaments we suspect were contracted in her two front legs appear to have loosened substantially. Baby’s legs look strong and much straighter than when she was born. We’ll keep monitoring her, but for now, things seem to be right on track!

Guests can visit baby and Bailey in the giraffe barn, which is now open at a limited capacity, as long as things continue to go well. The calf has been exploring the side yard with mom at unscheduled times during the day, so guests have a chance to see them outside, too.

Her keepers will tell you about how they’re seeing baby’s “brave and goofy” personality develop, and you’ll get to see “Big Daddy” Khalid check in with Bailey and the baby from the stall next to theirs.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on this little calf’s progress.

You can also learn more about our calf through the following resources:
– View mom and baby on our 24/7 temporary birth cam at cmzoo.org/giraffecam or on our YouTube channel.
– Watch the three live-streamed videos of the calf’s birth on Monday, Sept. 28 on this playlist: https://www.facebook.com/watch/55670076018/276758846645183/
– Keep up with all video updates on the calf on this playlist: https://www.facebook.com/watch/55670076018/630410841177208/
– Read her birth announcement here.

Bailey, an 8-year-old reticulated giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, welcomed her very first calf to the herd at 11:37 a.m. today. Bailey and the female giraffe calf are doing well. Following Cheyenne Mountain Zoo tradition, the calf will be named after she is 30 days old.

“You couldn’t ask anything more of a first-time mom,” said Jason Bredahl, giraffe animal care manager at CMZoo. “Bailey is nonstop grooming her baby, paying attention and making sure the baby is in a good position to nurse. Mom is doing a great job.”

The little calf is doing well, too. She’s already winning the hearts of CMZoo staff and online fans.

“This is probably the smallest giraffe calf I’ve ever seen,” said Bredahl. “Bailey is small for a giraffe, too, so that’s not surprising. She’s super adorable. She’s strong and is nursing well, so we’re really excited to share her with everyone as soon as we can.”

At first, the calf had a hard time standing because she had positioned herself in a corner of the stall and she kept bumping into the walls before she could get her footing. After waiting to see if she could get up on her own, keepers and vet staff asked Bailey to move into another area so they could give the calf a hand. The team picked her up and moved her into the middle of the stall around 1:27 p.m. She took her first steps on her own after a quick medical assessment, then a nudge from mom, at 1:38 p.m. As long as keepers observe that baby and mom are doing well, they will continue to let Bailey take the lead on providing her care.

The weight and height of the calf are not known yet, although keepers and vet staff say she is one of the smallest giraffe calves they’ve ever seen. Newborn giraffe calves are typically five to six feet tall and weigh 150 to 200 pounds. Exact measurements haven’t been taken, but this calf appears to weigh about 100 pounds and is around five-and-a-half feet tall.

The calf is the seventeenth member of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s reticulated giraffe herd. The calf is the first offspring for mom, Bailey, and the sixth to be sired by dad, Khalid (pronounced cull-EED). Bailey moved to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on a breeding recommendation in Sept. 2016. CMZoo’s breeding program began in 1954 and has welcomed more than 200 calves since its inception.

Thousands of worldwide viewers witnessed the calf’s birth on Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s live camera feed, which will continue to stream live from the sand stall, where Bailey and the calf will continue to bond for the coming weeks. The live stream of the birth stall, and both outdoor giraffe yard camera feeds, are available at cmzoo.org/giraffecam. The Zoo will continue to provide updates on their social media channels.

The barn will remain closed to guests for at least another day, to give the new calf time to bond with mom. Other members of the CMZoo herd will be available for viewing and feeding in the outside yard from elevated platforms, where guests can get eye-to-eye with and feed lettuce to the herd, weather permitting.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is not only a leader in the training and health of giraffe in human care, but they are also making a huge difference in conservation of giraffe in the wild. Reticulated giraffe, the subspecies to which CMZoo’s herd belongs, are endangered. There are just over 11,000 mature reticulated giraffe individuals in the wild, and that population is decreasing. According to International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the reticulated giraffe population has declined by 56% in the last thirty years.

In October and November 2019, CMZoo helped establish a new population of a critically endangered giraffe in Uganda. The Operation Twiga IV team successfully reintroduced 15 Nubian giraffe to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, where they haven’t existed in nearly 25 years. CMZoo VP of Mission and Programs, Dr. Liza Dadone, assisted with research and anesthesia, and provided care for the giraffe during the translocation. Our contribution to this effort is possible thanks to ongoing support from CMZoo members, guests and donors. Operation Twiga IV is led by Uganda Wildlife Authority with support from Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and other partners from around the world. See a video about the Zoo’s latest field conservation effort, Operation Twiga IV, here.

Through Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation program, by which 75 cents of every Zoo admission is allocated to conservation, guests have helped CMZoo send more than $3 million to support important conservation efforts since 2008.

Every visit to the Zoo is conservation in action. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and its guests and members are celebrating a huge milestone, having raised $3 million since the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation program launched in 2008.

Quarters for Conservation, or Q4C, is the Zoo’s largest fundraiser for field conservation. It actively engages visitors and staff in supporting long-term projects championed by the Zoo. Known as legacy projects, these currently include biodiversity conservation on behalf of giraffe, Panama frogs, orangutans, black-footed ferrets, African elephants and rhinos, Wyoming toads and African vultures. Every visitor to the Zoo receives three “quarter” tokens representing the 75¢ Q4C allocation from their admission fee. They can then select the legacy projects they would like to support by placing their tokens in the corresponding slots in the Q4C kiosks. The kiosks record the number of tokens, so it’s easy to see how popular each project is.

“Our guests have helped us save animals from extinction simply by visiting the Zoo,” said Dr. Liza Dadone, vice president of mission and programs. “Three million dollars in conservation support is huge – and we want to thank our guests and members. Through this program, they are directly empowered to make a difference, and they did. It’s an example that no matter how small, when we all work together, we can change the world for the better.”

One of the projects that CMZoo recently supported and participated in on the front lines, is Operation Twiga. In November 2019, with financial support from Q4C, CMZoo staff traveled to Uganda for Operation Twiga IV. They helped transport 15 critically endangered Nubian giraffe to a safer home within Uganda, where their species has another chance at survival. As part of this project, CMZoo vet staff helped to collect important medical data for an ongoing study to help giraffe in their natural habitat and those in human care.

“We haven’t been involved in giraffe conservation that long, so this Q4c funding since 2008 has allowed us to really step up and take a leading role among Zoos in the past few years,” said Dr. Dadone. “It’s raised visibility in our Zoo community that giraffe populations aren’t safe. People see a large herd of giraffe here at the Zoo, and I think it’s easy to assume that they’re still doing okay across their native lands in Africa, but that’s no longer a reality. Giraffe are locally extinct in seven countries in Africa. Our Zoo, including our supportive community, is committed to ensuring that incredible animals like giraffe are around for the next generation.”

Q4C beneficiary species truly run the gamut, from 18-foot-tall giraffe in Africa, to tiny toads from Wyoming.

“Another program I’m especially proud of is our Wyoming toad breed and release program,” said Dr. Dadone. “This species was once thought to be extinct in the wild. The only reason they exist in the wild today is because of our work and our team’s collaborations with other institutions. Some might think Wyoming toads aren’t as cute as a baby giraffe, but the toadlets are really adorable and are critical to our ecosystem and to ensuring we have a viable wildlife population in our own backyard. The research that we’ve done on headstarting [raising the toads to adulthood in the Zoo and then releasing them] and their nutrition has really improved the overall health of the last few generations of the Wyoming toad, which gives them an advantage when they are released into the wild. We’re continuing to evaluate our best practices and have an even better chance at saving this species long-term.”

Wyoming toads are symbolic of so many amphibian species in decline all over the world, including Panamanian frogs, which also receive support thanks to Q4C funds and frontline CMZoo staff support. In February 2019, three CMZoo staff members went to Panama to assist the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project by remodifying two feeder insect pods into frog pods. For this 10-day trip, the goal was to set up two shipping containers to house and breed approximately 450 additional frogs brought in from El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center, and later released. This involved disinfecting the shipping containers, painting, installing plumbing and water filtration, assembling racks, and drilling and prepping tanks.

Q4C supports an in-house breed and release program for black-footed ferrets, as well. Since 1991, when CMZoo began breeding black-footed ferrets, 567 kits have been born. Roughly half of those kits are released into the wild while the others continue breeding at CMZoo and other facilities who support this recovery effort and the Species Survival Plan. This ongoing recovery effort supports the population of black-footed ferrets, who were once thought to be extinct, and which are vital to the prairie ecosystem in Wyoming.

CMZoo’s work to save habitats for orangutans through advocacy for sustainable palm oil production is largely supported by Q4C. Thanks to that financial support, CMZoo’s sustainable palm oil team consults staff at other conservation organizations on starting their own palm oil programs and recently attended the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil’s (RSPO) annual conference in Thailand to represent CMZoo in the RSPO’s proceedings. Those proceedings directly impact the ways companies that use palm oil can help preserving wild lands for orangutans and other species.

Through Q4C, CMZoo also supports a conservation partner called Tsavo Trust – an organization in Kenya that works to protect the last of the big tuskers, which are African elephants with tusks weighing more than 100 pounds. CMZoo’s funds helped Tsavo Trust build permanent housing that allowed staff to live on the land where these critically endangered giants live. It also paid for pilot hours – frontline aerial surveillance that protects rhinos and elephants from poachers seeking their ivory.

The seventh Q4C legacy partner is VulPro – protectors of African vultures. The dedicated staff at VulPro, in South Africa, save vultures who have been injured as wild birds, and rehabilitates them to release. Those that are too injured to survive in the wild find a permanent home at VulPro.

Before launching Q4C in 2008, CMZoo was supporting conservation, but at a fraction of what is possible now. In the past few years, CMZoo has collected about half a million dollars per year through Q4C. Even with our three-month COVID-19 closure this year, the Zoo was able to hit this substantial $3 million milestone as expected.

“Small change pooled together makes a big difference,” said Dr. Dadone. “Thanks to our guests and members, we have been able to support this amazing frontline work. When we work together, we can make a positive difference for our world.”

In addition to contributions from admissions to every Zoo visit and special event ticket, $2.50 from each individual plus membership, and $5 from each family or higher-level membership, is allocated to Q4C. EdVenture and Animal department programs also contribute to the cause.

For more information about these projects and Quarters for Conservation, visit cmzoo.org/conservation.

Back to The Waterhole

Learn all about Ohe, newest member of the reticulated giraffe herd at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Back to The Waterhole

Welcome to the official unveiling of our memorial bronze statue honoring our 200th giraffe calf, Penny. Bob Chastain, president and CEO of #CMZoo, and Antonia Chastain, manager of public art for the Zoo and the sculptor of this piece, are telling us about this special tribute to the giraffe calf who touched the hearts of so many during her brief life.

Tomorrow (Sunday, June 21) is #WorldGiraffeDay, and it is a fitting day for the public to be able to visit this sculpture for the very first time. To commemorate this special occasion, we are hosting a giveaway for one free giraffe encounter with our herd. To enter, send a photo of yourself or your family with the new statue to [email protected] by Thursday, July 30, 2020 to be entered into the random drawing. We will randomly choose one winner from all submitted photos and will notify the winner on July 31 via the email they used to submit the photo. Please, one photo entry per email address.

Visit cmzoo.org/wgd to make a donation by June 21 to giraffe care and conservation! We are incredibly grateful for the Kratt Family Foundation and their dedication to giraffe care in the Zoo and in the wild. This year, the Kratt Family Foundation is matching up to $25,000 for every dollar donated through the end of the day tomorrow (6/21/20)! Your donation supports the care of our giraffe here at the Zoo, the matched funds will help wild giraffe conservation in Uganda. Thank you for helping us #StandTallForGiraffe!

Penny’s Story:

“Giraffe Calf #200,” as she was known as at birth, came into the world on June 4, 2018. Her birth was broadcast live to global viewers. Her mom, Muziki, won the “Race to 200,” giving birth to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 200th giraffe calf since our prolific breeding program started in 1954. The calf appeared to be healthy at birth, but unfortunately started having health issues on June 13. We deviated from Zoo tradition by giving her a name before our normal 30-day waiting period. Penny, as she was now known, had fans around the world falling in love with her, right along with all of us at CMZoo. But ultimately, we were losing our battle against the hidden infection that was spreading through her body. When she passed away on July 30, 2018, just shy of her two-month birthday, thousands of fans who had been rooting for her helped the Zoo staff through the difficult time with an unforgettable outpouring of support. Her legacy, and the joy she brought to so many, continue on with the production of this bronze statue.