The OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden sends this information as posted below:
The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the birth of a female giraffe calf, born Tuesday, September 23, 2025, in the state-of-the-art Giraffe Barn at Expedition Africa presented by Inasmuch Foundation. Born to mother Julu (10) and father Demetri (8), the calf weighed 150 lbs. at birth and has not yet been named. The calf was born as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program, which ensures the survival of select species with a genetically diverse and biologically sound population.
“We are proud to continue perpetuating the species that is facing what some scientists call ‘The Silent Extinction,’” said OKC Zoo’s Curator of Hoofstock, Bill Smith. “Julu has been pregnant for more than a year now, so we’ve all been eagerly awaiting the newest member of our animal family.”
Giraffes are listed as a vulnerable species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. Their numbers have been on the decline for decades, including extinction in seven African countries. Habitat loss, bushmeat poaching, and human-animal conflict have dropped giraffe populations to about 117,000 in the wild.
“The members of the giraffe herd have long been one of the Zoo’s most popular species and we’re excited to see this young calf grow right before our eyes,” said OKC Zoo executive director and CEO Dwight Lawson.
“Giraffe are around 6 feet tall at birth and can grow as much as three centimeters a day during their first week,” Smith said. “Calves are born with ossicones, which some people confuse with horns. At birth the ossicones are made of cartilage and lay flat against the head to allow for a safer birth for both mother and calf. As the calf gets older, they will ossify (turn to bone) and fuse with the skull.”
Giraffe communities exemplify the “it takes a village” approach to parenting. Mothers are the main caregivers in charge of feeding, nurturing, and protection. Females in the herd take on a cooperative parenting strategy, working with other females in the herd to create nursery groups, called “creches” to take turns foraging and watching over the calves. This allows for the calves to learn more independence, enhance survival, and develop social skills.
Julu and her little one will be spending time together bonding inside the Zoo’s giraffe barn/Giraffe House presented by The Ann Lacy Foundation where guests will have an opportunity to see them.
The Oklahoma City Zoo’s regular daytime hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry at 4 p.m. Avoid the entry lines and purchase advance Zoo admission tickets online at okczoo.org/tickets. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.
Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. Zoo more with a ZOOfriends membership! As a ZOOfriends member of the Oklahoma City Zoo, enjoy free admission for 12-months, plus additional benefits and discounts. You will also be supporting the Zoo’s animal family, education programming, and conservation initiatives both locally and globally. Join or renew today at www.okczoo.org/membership.
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