Put this down as yet another reason to visit the Cincinnati Zoo: on July 27, at 10:27 a.m., 5-year-old giraffe Cece gave birth to her first calf, a baby girl that has not yet been named.
According to Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard, Cece did an outstanding job as a first-time mom. Her labor and delivery took a mere 30 minutes — while “normal” labor and delivery time can take up to 6 hours. “We’re very pleased with the way first-time-mom Cece handled labor and delivery. Her maternal instincts kicked in as they should, and we’re hoping that Jambo was paying attention. She’s expecting and due in about a month!”
Giraffe Ridge currently has four adult Maasai giraffes: male Kimba and females Tessa, Jambo and Cece. Kimba has sired five calves: three calves with Tessa, one with Cece and one with mother-to-be Jambo. Unlike many species, there is no true breeding season for the Maasai giraffe and females can become pregnant beginning at age four.
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Maasai giraffes are the largest subspecies of giraffe, standing between 13 and 17 feet tall. They graze constantly, packing in up to 75 pounds of food per day! One of the highlights, in fact, of Giraffe Ridge is feeding these gentle giants leaves of romaine lettuce.
The Cincinnati Zoo asked its Instagram followers for name suggestions over the weekend; a name will be chosen this Friday and announced on the Zoo’s Facebook page.
Photo credit: Cincinnati Zoo.