The Fort Worth Zoo has announced the arrival of Finnigan, a giraffe born Aug. 18.
“Little Finn,” born to mom Kala, weighed 158 pounds and stood 5 feet, 9 inches at birth, the zoo said in a post on X and confirmed to The Dallas Morning News.
Little Finn is bonding well with his mom Kala and seems to be enjoying being on habitat with the rest of the herd! Make sure to come visit our not-so-little boy before he’s oh-so-big!
— Fort Worth Zoo (@FortWorthZoo) September 13, 2024
The calf made his public debut Thursday. Finn is “bonding well with his mother, Kala, and has been getting to know all the other members of his herd,” the zoo said in an email.
According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the average height of a newborn giraffe is 6 feet, with females being slightly smaller than males. Giraffe calves experience rapid growth, doubling their height during their first year of life.
The foundation states the initial months of a wild giraffe’s life are the most risky. The life cycle of giraffes in the wild is not well-documented; however, it is generally believed that both male and female giraffes can live around 25 years in the wild and longer in captivity.
In July, the zoo welcomed a female baby giraffe named Delilah. With the addition of Finn, the zoo’s herd has 11 giraffes.
