ST PAUL, Minn. — Editor's note: The video above aired on July 27, 2020.
The people have spoken... the Como Zoo's new baby giraffe, born last Monday, is named Ivy!
The "little" baby girl was born to mom Zinnia at 8:09 p.m. and was standing tall just over 40 minutes later.
The zoo let the mom and daughter bond for a few days before releasing a poll for the public to vote on a name. The three contenders were Ivy, Dahlia and Aster, in keeping with the mom's floral name.
And people did show up for little Ivy, with more than 17,000 votes cast, according to the Como Zoo website. Ivy won 45% of the vote and was closely followed by Dahlia at 40%.
Ivy is the third calf born to Zinnia, pushing Como's giraffe herd to four: Zinnia, Clover, Skeeter and the new calf.
The birth is the result of a recommendation by the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The goal is to maximize genetic diversity and ensure the long-term survival of AZA's population and the health of individual animals.
A few little-known facts about the giraffe:
- It is the tallest land-living species, often growing up to 18 feet tall with a tongue that stretches 18 inches.
- The gestation of a baby lasts between 14 and 15 months, after which a single calf is born.
- During the first two years of its life, a giraffe can double in height, often reaching 12 feet tall or more.
- Like human fingerprints, a giraffe's spots and markings are unique to them.
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