WACO, Texas — There's a new giraffe in town at the Cameron Park Zoo and her name is Eleanor.
Eleanor is a Masai Giraffe, a species that is found in Central and Southern Kenya, as well as in Tanzania. Eleanor herself came from the San Diego Zoo.
Eleanor was born on Jan. 30, 2021, and weighed 141 pounds at birth. As of September 2023, she weighed over 1,200 pounds.
Cameron Park Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Masai giraffes.
Cameron Park Zoo director Brendan Miller spoke to 6 News and answered questions about Eleanor and what made her the best fit for the zoo.
How did Eleanor adjust to being brought to the zoo?
It's always a little adjustment to come so far so she was a bit nervous and antsy, but once we paired her with another one of our giraffes it calmed her down and she adjusted just great.
How long do Masai giraffes live?
10 – 15 years in the wild and 20 – 27 years under human care. It varies, but the males tend to live shorter lives than the females.
Why does the giraffe need to be quarantined for 30 days?
They're quarantined to prevent them from spreading any illnesses they may have and also protecting them from getting sick.
Is Texas a good environment for giraffes to live a long life?
These giraffes' homeland is in Africa so Texas summers suit them well. When temperatures do drop, we tend to put them inside to stay warm.
What makes Cameron Park Zoo the best place for Eleanor to live?
She really represents the future of our giraffe initiatives here at the zoo. While being a part of the Species Survival Plan, we want to study Eleanor and our other giraffes to make sure that we're getting the information that we need to know how to best support the wild populations.
Are the current giraffes getting along?
Eleanor is a great fit with Dane, the Zoo’s 10-year-old male Masai giraffe. She will have a better chance to hang out with Dane and the rest of the animals at the zoo once her quarantine is over.
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