Como welcomes baby giraffe

Como Zoo welcomed a new baby giraffe named “Prince” to its herd. Coming into the world at 6’6” tall and weighing 160 pounds, the baby made her public debut Nov. 17.

The new baby boy, born Nov. 10, is the seventh calf born to mom, Daisy, and the 20th giraffe birth at Como in the last 22 years. Como’s current herd consists of Clover, Daisy, Skeeter (Prince’s father) and Prince. The honor of naming the new giraffe was given to Como Friends supporters Gretchen and David Crary, who have been the top individual donors on ‘Give To The Max Day’ for the past three years.

The giraffe is the tallest of all land-living animal species. They can be as tall as 18 feet and have a prehensile (used for grasping) tongue as long as 18 inches. During the first two years of a giraffe’s life, it doubles in height, often standing over 12-feet tall. Giraffe gestation lasts between 14 and 15 months, after which a single calf is born. Like human fingerprints, the markings or spots of a giraffe’s coat are unique to each. Reticulated giraffes are native to the dry savannahs and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa.