Help Name the Maryland Zoo’s Baby Giraffe

What would you name a baby giraffe?

The Maryland Zoo’s Giraffe House animal care team is pondering that very question right now—and they want your help!

On Monday February sixth, Juma, a female giraffe at the Maryland Zoo, gave birth to an adorable giraffe calf who already is over 6 feet tall and weighs more than 125 pounds! The zoo is happy to report that mother and calf are bonding well, and that they both seem healthy. But before the zoo’s youngest giraffe meets the public, she needs a name!

Below are the five names (and their meanings) being considered for the giraffe calf:

Safara (sah FAR ah), a name of African origin which means fire

Willow, because they’re slender and graceful, like the newborn calf

Ruby, because she’s a rare and precious gem

Opal, a name from Sanskrit literally meaning “jewel”

Dottie, because she has a dark dot positioned just above each hoof

Want to vote on your favorite name? Hurry! Voting is open only through 8:00 am Thursday, February 23rd.  You can vote once per day, and the winning name will be announced later this week. To vote, click on the Maryland Zoo’s website.

May the best name win!

About The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Founded in 1876, The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is the third oldest zoo in the United States and is internationally known for its contributions in conservation and research. More than 1,500 animals are represented in the Zoo’s varied natural habitat exhibits in areas such as the award-winning Penguin Coast, Polar Bear Watch, the Maryland Wilderness, African Journey and the Children’s Zoo. (Source: Maryland Zoo) 

Photo courtesy of the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. 

 

 

About Elizabeth Heubeck

Elizabeth Heubeck, a native of Baltimore, is a former editor of Baltimore's Child and the mother of two teenagers. Currently, she spends much of her spare time wishing she was a gourmet cook (or at least a solid short-order cook), hoping the piles of laundry would disappear and, in the warmer months, battling weeds in her flower beds.

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