Community Corner

Maryland Zoo Welcomes Two Young Giraffe

The one-year-olds at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore have been in quarantine for a month, but are now ready to meet the public this week.

A pair of 1-year-old reticulated giraffes have recently moved into the Giraffe House at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, according to the facility’s website.

Anuli, whose name means “daughter who brings happiness,” arrived at the Zoo Oct. 21 from Utah’s Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah, the zoo said in a news release. She was joined Oct. 23 by Juma, whose name means “born on Friday.”

“The two young females have been acclimating nicely to the Giraffe House and are very cooperative with the keepers,” said Carey Ricciardone, mammal collection and conservation manager, in a news release. “They are both very interested in the other giraffe; however they have not been fully introduced to the rest of their new herd just yet.”

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The animals have completed their 30-day quarantine, which kept the giraffe house closed to visitors. 

The new giraffe are not yet used to visitors inside the building, officials said, so the building will be open briefly each day in order to gradually introduce them to the public. This week zoo-goers can visit them in the Giraffe House from 10 a.m. to noon. 

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“As they acclimate to their new environment, and get used to seeing people inside the Giraffe House we will extend the hours,” Ricciardone said.

Anuli and Juma will be slowly integrated with the other giraffe, and once that process is over, they will be on view outside with the herd, weather permitting.


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