The Living Desert Welcomes Baby Giraffe

Palm Desert, CA, Jan. 26, 2016 -- Only a few weeks into the new year, The Living Desert’s giraffe, Dadisi, gave birth to a male calf on January 20, 2016, said Allen Monroe, President & CEO of The Living Desert, in Palm Desert, California.

The yet-to-be-named calf, weighing in at 130 pounds and standing 5 feet 9 inches tall, is anticipated to be on exhibit January 29, 2016. 

“While we are always excited to announce the birth of new babies here at The Living Desert, it is especially wonderful to welcome our first baby of 2016, a beautiful giraffe calf,” said Monroe. “Both mother and baby are doing well.”

This is the sixth baby for mom, Dadisi, and seventh calf for the father, Hesabu. Dadisi came to The Living Desert in November 2002 from the Oakland Zoo, and all of her calves have been born at The Living Desert. Hesabu, who came from the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 2002, also is the father of Ayo, who was born in July 2015 to mother Tuli.

“Both Dadisi and Hesabu were sent to our zoo for breeding, based on Species Survival Plan recommendations,” said Monroe. “The successful breeding and birth of their babies has helped build the population of this endangered species, which is an important and fulfilling part of our mission.”

The Living Desert is currently home to a herd of seven giraffes, five males and two females, all of which are on exhibit in the African section of the Park. In the last 15 years, the population of giraffes in the wild has fallen dramatically by 60% to less than 80,000 animals.

Dadisi’s pregnancy was about 15 months, the typical gestational period for a giraffe. The baby will now nurse for nine to 12 months, and begin eating foliage at about four months. The giraffe will double his size in the first year of his life. The baby giraffe has its own spot-like markings and no two giraffe’s have the same pattern, similar to humans having unique fingerprints.

Visitors can get up-close and personal with these majestic animals by participating in the giraffe feedings from 11 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person or $4 for members.

The Living Desert is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information: (760) 346-5694 or visit www.LivingDesert.org.

About The Living Desert:

The Living Desert is an AZA-accredited zoo and gardens that is dedicated to conservation and education. It is a family-friendly place to explore nature and create meaningful experiences for guests that are remembered for a lifetime. For more information: (760) 346-5694 or visit www.LivingDesert.org. The Living Desert is located at: 47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, CA 92260.

For a video of the baby giraffe contact Erin Scott at [email protected].

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Contact: Erin Scott 
Marketing & Public Relations Manager
760-346-5694 x. 2610
[email protected]