Cynthia and Edsel Ford Donation Will Benefit Giraffe Habitat at Detroit Zoo

Longtime Detroit Zoo supporters Cynthia and Edsel Ford have made a $1 million gift which will pay for an expansion of the giraffes' indoor habitat.

“There have been so many significant improvements made at the zoo in recent years, and our family is happy for the opportunity to foster that growth,” said Cynthia Ford, who serves on the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) Board of Directors, in a zoo press release.

The Detroit Zoo is home to four reticulated giraffes, including 9-year-old male Jabari and 7-year-old female Kivuli. They are the parents of 2-year-old male Mpenzi and 4-month-old female Zawadi, both born at the Detroit Zoo.

“We have a special fondness for these graceful, elegant animals,” said Edsel Ford. “This growing family needs a larger home and we were drawn to the idea of creating an environment where they can all gather in one space.”

Renovations will double the giraffes’ interior space, including the addition of a large area for the entire herd to be together. The work is expected to be completed by late spring.

“Cynthia and Edsel Ford have been extraordinary supporters of the Detroit Zoo for many years and we are extremely grateful for this generous gift,” said DZS Executive Director and CEO Ron Kagan. “There is growing conservation concern with wild giraffe populations.”

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) just last week declared giraffes – the world’s tallest land mammal – officially in danger of extinction. Giraffe numbers have plummeted in the wild by more than 40 percent in recent decades, resulting in the species moving to the “Vulnerable” category on the IUCN Red List.

The Detroit Zoological Society – a renowned leader in education, conservation, animal welfare and sustainability – operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. In recognition of its environmental leadership, the DZS received the top Green Award from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and was named Best-Managed Nonprofit by Crain’s Detroit Business. The AZA also recognized the DZS with the International Conservation Award for its work rescuing orphaned Grauer’s gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With an annual regional economic impact of more than $100 million, the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak is one of Michigan’s largest paid family attractions, hosting more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Its 125 acres of award-winning naturalistic habitats are home to 2,400 animals representing 255 species. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo sits on a 5-acre site surrounded by undisturbed forested wetlands on Belle Isle State Park in Detroit. It provides year-round educational, recreational and environmental conservation opportunities for the community.

Photo from Detroit Zoo