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Powell, OH — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is celebrating the arrival of a special and very important new member of its giraffe herd. A male Masai giraffe calf was born on March 10, 2026 at 6:16 p.m. in the Zoo’s Heart of Africa region to 15-year-old mother Zuri. The calf’s birth marks an exciting milestone for the Zoo and an important moment for the future of this endangered subspecies.

The Zoo’s Animal Care team is providing Zuri and her calf time to bond in the Giraffe Barn and a behind-the-scenes yard as the calf gradually begins introductions to other herd members. Care teams are closely monitoring both mom and calf through camera systems and in-person observations, and report that Zuri is attentive and calm with her newborn. Shortly after birth, the calf successfully stood, took early steps, and began nursing. A wellness exam completed by the Conservation Medicine and Animal Care teams confirmed the calf appears healthy and well fed. At this time, the calf does not yet have a name. Information about naming opportunities or next steps will be shared at a later date.

Zuri arrived at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 2013 from The Wilds and was originally born at the Ellen Trout Zoo. This is her third surviving calf born at the Columbus Zoo. Her other male calves, Ralph (born in 2020) and Charlie (born in 2022), both currently live at the Zoo.

The calf’s father, Bobbie, arrived at the Columbus Zoo in 2023 from the Houston Zoo. At 6 years old, this marks Bobbie’s first calf, an important milestone for the Zoo’s giraffe breeding program.

The pairing of Zuri and Bobbie was recommended by the Species Survival Plan® (SSP), a program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations of threatened and endangered species in professional care. Masai giraffes have a gestation period of approximately 15 months. Over the course of its history, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has welcomed 23 surviving giraffe calves.

“Welcoming a giraffe calf reflects the care, expertise, and collaboration that guide our work every day,” said Tom Schmid, President and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds. “This birth is a testament to the dedication of our teams and our shared commitment to protecting Masai giraffes for the future.”

Masai giraffes are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with populations declining by nearly 50 percent over the last three decades due to habitat loss, poaching, civil unrest, and environmental change. It is estimated that only about 43,000 Masai giraffes remain in the wild, primarily across Kenya and Tanzania and in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park.

The Columbus Zoo is a supporter of several direct giraffe conservation initiatives globally and has raised more than $400,000 for giraffe projects since 2009. Additionally, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado are the co-founders of the giraffe plasma bank and, along with several other collaborating zoos, work to consistently collect large volumes of plasma from giraffe to send to animals in need of a transfusion. These plasma transfusions have been responsible for assisting in saving the lives of several young giraffe across the country as the vital antibodies and critical proteins in the plasma help provide a life-saving boost to calves’ immune systems. Collection of the plasma is the result of the hard work and dedication of the Animal Care and Conservation Medicine teams who have trained members of the giraffe herd to participate in these large volume blood collections completely awake and voluntarily.

As teams prepare for the full spring opening of the Heart of Africa region, updates on calf viewing, naming, development, and herd introductions will be shared in the coming weeks.

For updates about Zuri and her calf, as well as information about the Columbus Zoo’s conservation initiatives, events, educational programs, and more, follow the Zoo’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram,  TikTok, and LinkedIn, and visit us at ColumbusZoo.org.