Kendi, a female baby giraffe born on Oct. 19, hangs out with Zawadi, a male giraffe, in their habitat at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND – The Oakland Zoo is celebrating a 150-pound, 6.5 foot-tall baby.
Kijiji, a reticulated giraffe, gave birth to her first calf, Kendi, a female, on Oct. 19 after a very long pregnancy, since giraffes have a gestation period of 14-16 months. Kendi is the first giraffe born at the zoo in 11 years.
Kendi means “loved one” in Swahili, the language spoken in Kenya, where you can find giraffes in the wild including the Masai-Mara National Reserve. Amboseli National Park and others.
Kijiji was brought to the Oakland Zoo in 2020 from Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kansas, and has been a very protective mother the past few weeks.
At first, a separate area was set up by keepers in the giraffe barn for the mother and calf to peacefully bond without the distraction of other herd members. Then on Oct. 30, Kendi made her debut in the large giraffe habitat where the public can view her.
“Kijiji has been a wonderful mother and it’s been a joy to get to learn Kendi’s personality,” said senior giraffe keeper Leslie Rao. “She’s got a lot of spunk just like her mother and she’s very curious.”
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies giraffes as critically endangered. Reticulated giraffes are quickly disappearing due to habitat loss, population growth, urban development, agriculture and mining. They’re also victims of the illegal wildlife trade, a lucrative business that involves capturing and selling animals on the black market. Giraffe’s pelts, bones, hair and tails are very profitable and the COVID-19 pandemic has fueled this activity because of increased poaching.
The zoo wants Kijiji and Kendi to serve as ambassadors, helping to educate guests about their wild giraffe cousins and the challenges they face in the wild. By having giraffes at the zoo, the hope is to bring appreciation and awareness to the species.
The Oakland Zoo partners with the Reticulated Giraffe Project in Kenya, a conservation organization dedicated to working with local communities in Africa to preserve endangered wild giraffe populations.
Since Kendi made her public debut, the zoo now has a live stream for her fans. You can follow Kendi’s journey on their live giraffe cam.
“We’re so excited to have a new baby join the herd,” said Amy Phelps, assistant zoological manager at Oakland Zoo. “With the expertise of our staff, we’re prepared to assist Kijiji as she enters this stage in life as a new mother.”
