NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia Zoo announced the addition of a newborn male to the Masai Giraffe herd named Henry.
Henry was born to 10-year-old female Noelle, and Henry's father, Billy, was loved by many but unfortunately died earlier this year.
"This calf is so special to us as a team as it is the last offspring of Billy," said Emily Spence, assistant curator of the Africa department. "The loss of such a longstanding staple of the Africa deparment has been difficult, but we are all so happy to know that his legacy is going to live on one last time. We can't wait to share this calf with the zoo community in the near future."
Henry is Noelle's third offspring to be born at the Virginia Zoo with Billy.
The zoo says in Billy's 20 years at the facility, he sired a total of 10 offspring, making "great contributions to the endangered population of Masai Giraffe."
In 2019, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recorded approximately 35,000 Masai giraffe in the wild, down from 50% from the last three decades, according to the zoo.
"Exciting additions like our new calf are wonderful opportunities for us to share with guests the critical role zoos play in the conservation of wildlife around the globe," said Kate Reichert, conservation engagement manager. "Many of our animals are part of Species Survival Plan programs that help monitor and manage healthy populations in human care so we can continue the critical research and educations to build a stronger community of environmental stewards."
The zoo says Masai giraffe are native to Kenya and Tanzania and typically live between 10 and 15 years in the wild, but in human care, their average lifespan is 20 to 27 years.
