The Kilimanjaro Safaris family has a new addition on view: Aella, a two month-old Masai giraffe.
Aella, the child of Lily and George, was born June 29, and has spent the last two months backstage nursing and bonding with her mother. The calf was named after an Amazonian warrior. At birth, she was already five feet tall, and has been growing ever since.
Lily and George were selected to breed as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in an effort to ensure the survival of the species. Masai giraffes, found mostly in parts of Kenya and Tanzania, are considered a species vulnerable to extinction, as a result of poaching and the destruction of their habitats.
Visitors to Kilimanjaro Safaris should be able to identify Aella, as she is currently the smallest giraffe in the herd.
