Maryland Zoo Reveals Name Of Baby Giraffe

BALTIMORE, MD — The baby giraffe at the Maryland Zoo now has a name: Willow. The public will be allowed to meet her starting on Friday, Feb. 24.

To determine what its new giraffe calf should be called, the zoo invited the public to vote on six names that the zookeepers had selected, in an online poll: Imara, Safara, Willow, Ruby, Opal and Dottie.

According to the Maryland Zoo, there were 26,311 votes cast in the poll, which closed Thursday morning and established Willow — with 32 percent of the votes — as the winner.

Soon after the poll closed, officials at the Maryland Zoo held a special name reveal event outside the Giraffe House. Staff lined up and, prompted by a countdown, turned around to show they were wearing letters that spelled out "W-I-L-L-O-W!" The moment was captured on Facebook Live.

Visitors to the Maryland Zoo will be able to see Willow starting Friday, Feb. 24.

She is less than three weeks old, since she was born on Monday, Feb. 6.

"Because this is new for all of us, there will be a few restrictions with regard to entry in the Giraffe House for the short term,” Erin Cantwell, the zoo's mammal collection and conservation manager, said in a statement.

Zoo staff will escort small groups into the building, where visitors may find lines and possibly long waits. Groups will be allowed to view the giraffes for a few minutes. People may take pictures but there will be no flash photography. Staff may close the Giraffe House if necessary for the animals' well-being.

Said Cantwell: “We ask that everyone bear with us until .... [mother and baby] are fully acclimated to the sights and sounds of visitors on a regular basis.”

• Maryland Zoo Welcomes First Baby Giraffe Since 1997
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The last baby giraffe born at the Maryland Zoo was Angel in 1997, according to zoo officials, meaning Willow was the first calf born at the Baltimore facility in 20 years.

Juma, 4, and Caesar, 11, welcomed Willow into the world on Feb. 6, authorities reported.

Mom went into labor at 3 p.m.; the calf was born at 4:35 p.m.; and by 5:30 p.m., the baby was standing up. The baby giraffe measured 6 feet 1 inch tall and 125 pounds.

Willow's parents were both born at institutions other than the Maryland Zoo. Juma came from the North Carolina Zoo in 2013, and Caesar was born in 2006 at the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida.

Juma, Caesar and Willow are reticulated giraffes, the tallest species on the planet, whose long necks allow them to munch on leaves higher than most animals can reach.

One more reticulated giraffe on the planet is a big deal, as there are only a little more than 8,000 of them.