Giraffe Calf Born at Reid Park Zoo
| Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo is welcoming a significant new addition. Penelope, one of Zoo’s adult female reticulated giraffes, gave birth to a calf on the afternoon of Monday, February 23. Reticulated giraffes are endangered and the birth is part of Reid Park Zoo’s participation in the Giraffe Species Survival Plan to maintain viable populations of these animals. “The new calf was born at 4:10 p.m. on Monday, was standing a little over an hour after his birth and nursing shortly after that. That is exactly where we wanted him to be,” said Adam Ramsey, Director of Animal Care. Penelope and the calf are behind the scenes having some quiet bonding time. Guests can expect to see the pair on habitat after a few days. More details will be announced via the Zoo’s social media. “We don’t quite know when he will go onto the main habitat yet, we will let his behavior and mom’s behavior guide that decision,” said Ramsey. Penelope, also known as “Penny,” came to Reid Park Zoo in 2020 as a part of the Species Survival Plan, or SSP, with a breeding recommendation for Jasiri, the Zoo’s male giraffe and father of the calf. This is the pair’s second offspring. Their first-born, Moyo, moved to another Zoo in 2025, also on recommendation from the SSP to ensure long-term sustainability of giraffes. “As an accredited zoo, we work very closely with the SSPs for the species that call Reid Park Zoo home. It helps to ensure the longevity and health of our animals and their future generations,” said Ramsey. “Penny was wonderful and attentive as a first-time mom, and she has been immediately attentive to her newborn calf. She has been grooming him, being patient while he’s nursing, and is aware of where he is at all times.” The animal care team has noted that the yet-unnamed calf has a marking pattern very similar to Jasiri’s marking pattern but that his spots themselves have light colored center markings just like Penelope’s spots. He was born weighing 180 pounds and is currently standing 6 feet tall. The new calf, Penny, Jasiri, and adult female giraffe Msituni are a “tower” or group of reticulated giraffes, featuring distinctive chestnut colored patches outlined by thin white lines. Reid Park Zoo supports the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Giraffe SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) Program, providing fieldwork in Uganda to stabilize wild populations of the endangered reticulated giraffes. By supporting Reid Park Zoo, guests are also helping support these programs and the calf’s wild cousins.
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