Giraffe Calves Join the Herd at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park
It was an exciting morning at Kilimanjaro Safaris as giraffe calves Maple and Zella joined the family of Masai giraffes on the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. They’ve spent a lot of time bonding backstage with moms Mara and Willow, and today was like a big party with the rest of the family and a few neighbors, including zebra, wildebeest, and springbok.
At first, the two baby besties took their time exploring their new surroundings on the savanna, with their moms and aunts, keepers said. But soon enough, they were running around with four of the older “kids,” enjoying the chilly morning air.
Maple’s name was chosen because keepers noticed one of the spots on her skin resembles a maple leaf. Zella’s name means “beautiful girl who knows the path” in Slavic and African languages. These big girls are growing quickly – Maple weighs over 300 pounds and Zella is catching right up, at just over 200 pounds.
The calves will start spending more and more time on the savanna in the coming days. See if you can catch a glimpse of them on your next safari adventure!
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