Sydney Zoo introduces adorable hand-raised giraffe calf

Sydney Zoo is celebrating a towering milestone* with the arrival of a new giraffe calf, born in December 2025 to first-time mum Eyama. Already standing just days after being born, the cute addition marks a historic moment for the zoo and a rare opportunity for visitors to see one of the world’s tallest animals at its very smallest.

Born in the late evening, the male calf arrived following a closely monitored 15-month pregnancy. While giraffe births are usually dramatic – involving a pretty big first drop to the ground – keepers quickly noticed that this little one would need extra support in his earliest days.

Weighing about 60–70kg at birth, the calf needed intensive*, around-the-clock care from Sydney Zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams, who stepped in to hand-raise him through the critical first weeks. This extra special care included overnight feeds, physiotherapy* and constant monitoring to make sure he was feeding, moving and growing as expected.

The calf is now thriving at just over a month of age, putting on weight quickly and showing strong signs of healthy development. In fact, the baby giraffe has already clocked in at 124kg in weight.

Zoo keepers said his personality was also starting to show; the playful giraffe using plenty of curiosity and growing confidence to explore his surroundings.

“We are incredibly excited to announce our new giraffe calf, born here at Sydney Zoo,” said Tim Bennett, Exotics* Animal Care manager. “Hand-raising a giraffe is not something we take lightly – it’s an enormous commitment – but the dedication of our keepers and vets working around the clock has given this calf the very best start.”

The calf has joined Sydney Zoo’s growing tower* of giraffes, which includes mum Eyama and dad Akiki. Tower is one name used for a group of giraffes – but in this calf’s case, it’s a very fitting description. His family line has genetics* that include one of the tallest giraffes in the world. For this reason, keepers are eager to see just how big this youngster will grow in the years ahead.

Visitors to the zoo may be lucky enough to spot the baby giraffe making part-time appearances on the savannah*, particularly in the morning hours, as the zoo gradually introduces him to the habitat* and the wider herd.

These limited viewings put the calf’s welfare first while allowing guests a rare glimpse of this special moment.

Sydney Zoo said the landmark birth represented an extraordinary achievement for the zoo’s animal care team and a rare moment for Sydney – offering visitors the chance to watch an iconic* species grow, step by step.

To celebrate the arrival, Sydney Zoo has launched a competition to help name the new giraffe calf, with animal lovers encouraged to vote from a shortlist of three names – Jasiri, Tamboti and Bahati. Visit Sydney Zoo’s website for further details.

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POLL

GLOSSARY

• milestone: a major event
• intensive: receiving a lot of special care
• physiotherapy: therapy to help with movement and strength
• Exotics: animals from other countries or far away places that are unusual
• tower: a name for a group of giraffes
• genetics: the DNA structures that determine the unique characteristics of different animals
• savannah: dry, grassy plains often found in Africa, where giraffes naturally live. Sydney Zoo has a savannah-style habitat for its giraffes to roam around in
• habitat: a zoo enclosure designed to replicate the natural home of an animal
• iconic: symbolic of a country or culture

EXTRA READING
Historic giraffe birth at Aussie zoo
Baby giraffe’s special new shoes
Ghostly white giraffes spotted

QUICK QUIZ
1. How many months do giraffe pregnancies last?
2. How heavy is the one month old calf born at Sydney Zoo?
3. What special care did the calf receive after he was born?
4. Why is the calf gradually being introduced to the giraffe habitat?
5. Which three names can animal lovers choose from when voting in the naming competition?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. The zoo keepers’ notes
The baby giraffe’s keepers have been keeping a close eye on his growth and habits since his birth. Think about what information they might need to collect for their records and create a “form” that keepers could fill in each day to track his development. It should have room for key data, such as height and weight, and space for observational notes about what the giraffe is doing.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Science

2. Extension
Now imagine that you are one of the keepers and fill in the form you created. Make sure the information you include is realistic by using facts from the news story and/or by doing additional research about baby giraffes.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Science

VCOP ACTIVITY
Imaginative dialogue
Imagine you were there during the event being discussed in the article, or for the interview.

Create a conversation between two characters from the article – you may need or want to include yourself as one of the characters. Don’t forget to try to use facts and details from the article to help make your dialogue as realistic as possible.

Go through your writing and highlight any punctuation you have used in green. Make sure you carefully check the punctuation used for the dialogue and ensure you have opened and closed the speaking in the correct places.