The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Garden made a “major” announcement last week, adding two female giraffes to its animal lineup.
The two 4-year-old female giraffes, estimated to be about 13 feet tall, arrived from another facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Visitors can now watch the pair settle into their new home in the back area of the habitat, under the care of the zoo’s animal experts.
The zoo’s male giraffe, Gage, will continue to live in his primary habitat, while the female will complete “recommended reproductive management protocols” before all three will be housed together, a change expected later this fall. The zoo team has not yet chosen a name for the new giraffe.
“Welcoming these two female giraffes is an exciting milestone for our zoo and a great opportunity for our visitors to interact with these amazing animals,” Erin Bussum, the zoo’s general curator, said in a news release. “Through our collaboration with accredited zoological and conservation partners, we support the long-term sustainability of giraffe populations while inspiring our guests to learn more about the important role these animals play in the wild.”
Gage feeding of the giraffes will continue as usual, and guests will have the opportunity to feed all three giraffes later this fall. Open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, the giraffe’s long neck reaches guests’ eye level and guests can feed the giraffe lettuce. The experience costs $6 per person or $5 per annual passholder.
Meanwhile, the zoo continues to care for sloths rescued from the abandoned Sloth World attraction and donated in April.
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