Frequent visitors to Dickerson Park Zoo probably know that
we have giraffe babies about every other year. Some lucky guests have probably
even witnessed a birth, but have you ever wondered what we have to do when the
babies are born in the winter? Two of our females are going to have babies this
winter, and our staff is getting ready!
Our giraffes stay in the barn when it is below 32 degrees
outside at night. We don’t want babies to be welcomed into the world on hard
concrete, so we haul in about one cubic yard of dirt into a stall (one
wheelbarrow load at a time!). The dirt is spread evenly throughout the stall.
The expectant mother stays in that stall each night until
the baby is born. Depending on what the weather is like during the day, the
mother and calf might have to stay inside for a few days. If it is warm enough,
we will let them go outside. 
It usually takes the calf a little while to figure
out how to get outside. Mom makes frequent trips back in the building to check
on her calf and to try to get it to follow her.
Winter babies are definitely more work for the zookeepers,
but it is always exciting to walk in the building first thing in the morning
and see a new face staring at you!
Written by Andrea Kendrick, Zookeeper
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