Baby Giraffe Born at L.A. Zoo Makes Her Public Debut

The Los Angeles Zoo just recently introduced the newest member of their team — a baby giraffe named Sofie.

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L.A. Zoo

Born on April 22, Sofie is featured with her mother at the Los Angeles Zoo.

The Los Angeles Zoo just recently introduced the newest member of their team — a baby giraffe named Sofie.

Though less than a month old, the zoo’s newest Masai giraffe already stands tall at 6 feet and weighs in at 135 pounds. The zoo announced Sofie’s presence last Friday, even though the calf was born late last month on April 22.

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According to zoo officials, Sofie is the first calf for the zoo’s giraffe, Hafina, who was impregnated by another giraffe called Artemis. The zoo’s newest addition was then subsequently named after the great-granddaughter of one of the zoo’s donors, Robert McMillan.

In a statement, officials elaborated on Sofie’s particular species of giraffe:

The Masai species of giraffe is found in East Africa, namely southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. All giraffe populations throughout Africa are under threat and are declining due to poaching for meat. Giraffes are not secure in the wild like most people think, thus the captive populations are becoming more important.

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The newborn and her mother can now be seen during the zoo’s regular hours.