Giraffe gives birth to 9th calf in front of visitors at The Virginia Zoo

Visitors at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk got to witness the birth of a female Masai giraffe calf on Sept. 9. The calf, named Tisa, weighed in at 122.5 pounds and stood 6 feet tall at birth. Tisa means “nine” in Swahili, and in addition to being born on 9/9, she is mother Imaras ninth calf. The pair are bonding, and zookeepers say Tisa is nursing well. Photos shared by the zoo show mother and baby in the giraffe barn shortly after the morning birth, which was witnessed by visitors. An exam by the zoos veterinarian, Dr. Tara Reilly, revealed Tisa is strong, healthy, and “full of personality,” the zoo said. There are now five giraffes in the zoos herd, including Billy, who is father to Tisa along with fourteen other calves. Billy and Imaras pairing was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for Masai giraffes, which are native to East Africa and currently listed as endangered due to habitat loss and poaching, the zoo said.