The Memphis Zoo had an exciting event take place right inside of the giraffe exhibit.
Akili, a giraffe at the zoo, gave birth to a baby girl giraffe on Friday, August 10, 2018.
Courtney Janney, area curator, said, “We’re so excited to have this new girl join our giraffe family.”
The baby giraffe was named Mashamba, which in Swahili means “fields.”
Mashamba was named by the zookeepers, after a former zookeeper, Fields Falcon.
Mashamba was born in good health, measuring 6 feet tall and weighing 115 lbs.
It is very common for baby giraffes to be born with crooked legs, feet or joints, due to their position while inside the mother’s womb.
Mashamba is one of the baby giraffes that has crooked legs, so she has temporary splints placed on her legs.
Mashamba and her mom, Akili, are among the 4,500 animals that live in the Memphis Zoo.
With over 500 different animal species, the Memphis Zoo was recently named one of the top zoos in the United States by TripAdvisor and USA Today.
