Meet 'Maggie' The Baby Giraffe

On Thursday the Oakland Zoo will hold a coming out celebration for its new baby giraffe  "Maggie."

Maggie will be on display starting at 10:30 am and remain out until noon or later, provided she doesn't tire.

Maggie was born around 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 12 to parents "Twiga" and "Mabusu."

Twiga means giraffe in Swahili. Mabusu means kisses.

At birth Maggie weighed 80 pounds and stood 72 inches tall.

Zoo spokeswoman Nicky Mora said giraffes give birth standing up. This allows the offspring to drop 4 to 5 feet, which encourages it to start breathing -- nature's equivalent of the whack on the rump sometimes administered to human infants for the same reason.

Maggie actually made sneak appearances on Monday and Tuesday so zookeepers could make sure she wouldn't be spooked by the attention, Mora said.

She will make her official debut just a few days before the Zoo hosts a conference for the International Association of Giraffe Care Professionals, which takes place from Feb. 6 to Feb. 9.

The Zoo has also teamed up with the Reticulated Giraffe Research Project, based at the Samburu National Reserve in Kenya, where researchers study conservation issues facing the species.