NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — There’s a new giraffe at the Virginia Zoo!
Virginia Zoo Keepers welcomed Tisa, a newborn Masai female giraffe calf, on September 9. At birth, she weighed 122.5 pounds, and stood 6’ tall.
Tisa (prunounced Tee-sah) is the ninth calf for mom, Imara, and fifteenth for dad, Billy. Her name means nine in Swahili to represent her birthday and the number of her mother’s births.
The zoo says mom and baby are currently bonding, and the calf is nursing well. She appears strong and is already learning to run.
This birth brings the herd total to five: females, Imara and her calf Tisa, Noelle and her calf Mchanga who was born in December and Billy. Masai giraffes are currently listed as endangered due to habitat loss and poaching, so the birth of this newest calf is especially important.
To celebrate the arrival of Tisa, the Virginia Zoo is offering a $9.99 digital giraffe Zoodoption special, where patrons can symbolically adopt the new calf until September 30! Those who purchase the digital Zoodoption special will be entered to win a “Sneak Peak” behind-the-scenes giraffe tour that features a meet and greet with the adopted animal and personal Q&A with the giraffe’s keeper.
The digital Zoodoption special can be purchased HERE with proceeds benefiting enrichment items for the Zoo’s giraffe herd and the Zoo’s Act for Wildlife fund that supports conservation efforts locally and around the world.
