On June 29, 2018, a baby giraffe was born and given the name of Aella (pronounced “eye-la”) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. For guests hoping to catch a glimpse of the magnificent calf, you now have your opportunity as the small (?) giraffe is now able to be seen on Kilimanjaro Safaris.
More than five-feet-tall at birth, the giraffe calf has been spending her time in a backstage habitat until she was strong enough to head out into the wild. Aella has been learning from a great teacher, though, as she has spent the last two months with her mother Lily.
The name Aella comes from an Amazon warrior, and it is certainly to be an appropriate name for the young giraffe. She has proven to be brave and adventurous as she explores the savannah of Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Per the Disney Parks Blog:
Aella’s birth marks a first for her parents – mom Lily and dad George. The pair was chosen to breed through the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and ensures responsible breeding of threatened and endangered species. Breeding this pair is important to the long-term survival of the species because it adds more genetic diversity to the giraffe population, which helps ensure future generations.
Aella will nurse for about a year, and then, as a herbivore, she will move to the lush vegetation available throughout the savanna. When full grown, she will use her 18-inch tongue to strip leaves off thorny branches from the tops and sides of trees to consume up to 75 pounds of food a day. That’s a tall order!
The Masai giraffe is a vulnerable species found primarily in Kenya and Tanzania. There are believed to be roughly 32,000 Masai giraffes left in the wild, and their population continues to decline because of poaching and habitat loss.
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