Baby giraffe expected to return to savanna

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney’s Animal Kingdom welcomed its newest member to the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna last month. Since his birth, the male Masai giraffe has been growing fast and reaching developmental milestones along the way.

In March, the 7-foot-tall baby is expected to return to the savanna with his mother, Mara, and the rest of the tower. They are part of Disney’s breeding program, which is crucial to the species since there are only about 32,000 Masai giraffes living in the wild.

The calf, which has not been named yet, gets most of his nutrition by nursing from his mother. Keepers are starting to expand his palate with grains and fresh produce, such as carrots, potatoes, squash and greens. Animal care experts are still narrowing down their choices for his name.