Released by the City of Greenville.
Autumn, the 14-year-old female giraffe at the Greenville Zoo, has given birth to a new calf. The baby was born at 2:28 p.m. and was standing on its own by 3:08 p.m. This is Autumn’s sixth calf. The new calf is unnamed, and the gender is not yet known by Zoo staff.
The calf will nurse for nine to 12 months but will begin eating foliage at around two-months-old. The giraffe will double in size in its first year of life. Giraffes have their own individual spot-like markings and no two giraffes have the same pattern.
“We are excited to welcome our new baby giraffe. This is another success towards ensuring the future of Masai giraffes,” said Zoo Director Bill Cooper.
The father of the calf is 12-year-old Miles, who arrived at the Greenville Zoo in 2016 from the Houston Zoo. Autumn was born at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and arrived at the Greenville Zoo in 2007.
The pairing of Autumn and Miles is a result of the recommendation by the Species Survival Plan®, a program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to maintain the genetic diversity of a threatened endangered species in human care.
In 2019, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the Masai giraffe endangered, as their population has declined nearly 50% in the past 30 years. The primary reason is poaching and changes in land use. It is estimated that only 35,000 Masai giraffes exist.
Watch Autumn and her baby interact on the live barn camera: https://greenvillezoofoundation.org/camera/
Visit the Greenville Zoo by purchasing tickets at www.greenvillezoo.com.
