ORLANDO — Pass out the cigars, a new giraffe calf has been born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
The female Masai giraffe entered the world last month, joining her parents Kenya and George, who were paired together through the Species Survival Plan. There are roughly 32,000 Masai giraffes left in the wild, mostly in Kenya and Tanzania, and their population continues to decline due to poaching and habitat loss.
Yet to be named, the adorable baby will follow in the hoofsteps of baby giraffe Aella, who was also born at Animal Kingdom four months ago. Together, they’ll be featured at Kilimanjaro Safaris, the safari attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.
But the new calf still needs a name, and Disney is looking to all of us for help. Its animal care team has narrowed the list of names down to four, all based on Swahili words:
- Dafina, meaning treasure
- Milima, meaning mountain
- Amira, meaning princess
- Naima, meaning graceful
To vote, go to the Disney Parks Blog at https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/11/wildlife-wednesday-help-us-name-newest-giraffe-calf-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/.
Disney will announce the winning name soon.
