L.A. is full of big babies but most are not born six feet tall.
Sofie, the Los Angeles Zoo's new giraffe calf, was born about two weeks ago weighing in at 135 pounds and standing six feet tall.
While a good guess, Sofie was not named for the 1960s-to-present day French teething toy icon "Sophie" the giraffe. She was, it turns out, named by donor Robert McMillan after his great granddaughter, according to a Zoo news release.
Sofie is the first baby for Hafina, the Zoo's female Masai giraffe; Artimus is the father. The giraffe family trio can now bee seen on exhibit during normal Zoo hours.
In conjunction with this delightfully storky news, the Zoo also announced its continued partnership with the California's 529 college savings plan, ScholarShare.
As families learn about the Zoo’s most recent Spring baby, parents may also learn how to begin planning their children's future from a very young age.
MEET THE MASAI
The Masai species of giraffe is found in East Africa, namely southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. All giraffe populations throughout Africa are under threat and are declining due to poaching for meat. Giraffes are not secure in the wild like most people think, thus the captive populations are becoming more important.