Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance announced that its reticulated giraffe, BB, gave birth to a male calf on March 7 after a 444-day pregnancy and three-and-a-half-hour labor. The calf is healthy and is the first offspring for four-year-old BB and four-year-old father Jasiri, who both joined DZCA in 2022 from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Lee Richardson Zoo.
According to DZCA, the pregnancy was part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Giraffe Species Survival Program, which works to ensure the long-term survival of the reticulated giraffe, which is an endangered species.
“The birth of this calf is a significant step in giraffe conservation efforts, helping to maintain a genetically healthy population in human care,” DZCA said.
BB and the baby will remain in an indoor habitat as they bond and adjust to their surroundings, according to DZCA. The indoor giraffe habitat is temporarily closed to guests while they acclimate, but a livestream of BB and the baby is available on YouTube.
The zoo is asking for people to vote for the baby’s name online. With a donation of $5 per vote to DZCA, people can vote on the best of three suggested names, including Dagg, Thorn, and Kujali.
The zoo said that the three names each have meanings. The name “Dagg” was inspired by late giraffe researcher, Dr. Anne Innis Dagg. “Thorn” refers to one of giraffes’ favorite woody foods. “Kujali” means “to care” in Swahili, the language of eastern African countries.
