IT’S A BOY! North Carolina Zoo welcomes new baby giraffe

ASHEBORO, N.C. (WITN) - The North Carolina Zoo has a brand new resident - a baby bay giraffe.

According to zookeepers, 13-year-old giraffe Leia gave birth to a new calf on Saturday, May 20th. Zoo officials say the calf weighed in at 145 pounds and stood nearly six feet tall at birth.

The Zoo’s Giraffe Zookeepers Kristi Myers, Jason Balder, Mary Wilson, and Kelly Davis issued a joint statement about the birth.

“Leia and her calf are doing amazingly well. Our team could not be prouder of how attentive Leia has been with her firstborn. Mom and calf are bonding behind the scenes,” they said. “This new arrival brings the team lots of happiness and excitement to have some young, spunky energy around. The rest of the giraffe tower - Jack, Turbo, and Amelia - are all very curious of the newbie and are bopping noses whenever they can.”

Zookeepers say the Zoo has had 12 previous giraffe births, making this one lucky 13.

The giraffe zookeepers said that the calf was born to parents Leia (cow) and Jack (bull). They said the first-time mother and her new calf are both healthy and currently bonding out of public view.

Zoo officials said that the zoo’s animal care team will determine when mom and calf will join the herd in public view.