News release from the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo:
Baby Giraffe Goes On Exhibit
(July 27, 2015) – Kiango, a 6-week old reticulated giraffe at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, ventured into the giraffe exhibit in the zoo’s African Journey for the first time this morning.
Kiango (kee-ON-go) was born strong and healthy on June 14 and began walking within an hour of birth. Until now, Kiango and his mother, Zahra, have been living in the zoo’s state-of-the art giraffe barn while Kiango got acquainted with the zoo’s herd of six adult giraffes.
The zoo has shared photos and video of the calf on its social media channels, but today is the first chance for zoo guests to see him in person.
Zoo keepers describe Kiango as an adventuresome baby. He has already grown nine inches since birth, and now stands about 6′ 11″ tall.
For the remainder of the zoo season, Kiango will spend some days in the exhibit and be given some “days off” when he will rest in the giraffe barn.
Facts About the New Giraffe Calf
• Gender: Male
• Birthdate: June 14, 2015
• Species: Reticulated Giraffe
• Parents: Zahra (mother) and Ezeji (father)
• Height at birth: 6’2″
• Weight at birth: 160 lbs.
• Name: Kiango (meaning “light” or “sunshine” in Swahili)
• Conservation Status: Giraffes are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, due to habitat loss and illegal hunting.
About the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo’s mission is to connect kids and animals, strengthen families, and inspire people to care. The zoo is northeast Indiana’s largest tourist attraction, hosting more than 500,000 guests annually. The zoo received the 2014 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award, was voted Indiana’s #1 “Gotta-Do Summer Attraction,” and is consistently named one of the nation’s Top Ten Zoos for Kids by national media outlets.The zoo is a conservation leader, contributing more than $80,000 annually to local, regional, and international efforts to protect wild animals and habitats, and participating in cooperative management programs for 91 endangered species and taxa. The zoo was named Northeast Indiana’s Sustainable Business of the Year in 2014.
As a self-supporting facility, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo receives no tax dollars for operations. The zoo’s operations are funded entirely by earned revenue and donations.
The zoo is open 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily; last admission 5:00 PM; exhibits, rides, & buildings close at 5:30 PM; grounds close at 6:00 PM. The zoo is open seven days a week through October 11, 2015. Admission is $14.00 for adults; $10.50 for seniors age 60+; and $9.00 for children ages 2-18. Babies age 1 and under and Zoo Society Members are admitted free. kidszoo.org
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