Penelope, a female reticulated giraffe at Reid Park Zoo, gave birth to a calf Monday afternoon.
The unnamed male was born weighing 180 pounds and currently stands at 6 feet tall.
"The new calf was born at 4:10 p.m. on Monday, was standing a little over an hour after his birth and nursing shortly after that. That is exactly where we wanted him to be,” Adam Ramsey, director of animal care, said in a news release.
The unnamed male was born weighing 180 pounds and currently stands at six feet tall.
Reticulated giraffes are endangered, and the birth is part of the zoo's participation in the Giraffe Species Survival Plan to maintain viable populations of these animals.
Penelope and the calf are behind the scenes, having some quiet bonding time. They are likely to be available for public viewing in a few days. “We don't quite know when he will go onto the main habitat yet, we will let his behavior and mom's behavior guide that decision,” Ramsey said in the release.
Penelope, also known as “Penny,” came to Reid Park Zoo in 2020.
The calf is the second offspring for Penelope and Jasiri, the zoo’s male giraffe.
Their firstborn, Moyo, moved to another zoo in 2025.
“Penny was wonderful and attentive as a first-time mom, and she has been immediately attentive to her newborn calf," Ramsey said. "She has been grooming him, being patient while he’s nursing, and is aware of where he is at all times.”
A male reticulated giraffe was born Monday afternoon at Tucson's Reid Park Zoo.
