Giraffe Calf Meets Herd and Makes History

A 16-day-old male Masai giraffe and his mother were released into the San Diego Zoo Safari Park's South Africa. The lanky youngster was cautious when keepers first opened the gate into the field exhibit, but it didn't take long for him to acclimate to his new surroundings as he followed his mother to meet the rest of the giraffe herd, which includes his 3-week-old half-brother.

The calf, named Gowon (pronounced Go-wan), Masai for maker of rain, was born on July 31 to mother Genny in a protected area, where the two remained until today, when animal care staff felt Gowon was strong enough to venture into the larger space and meet the herd. His older brother, Kamau (pronounced Kam-mao), whose name means little warrior in Masai, was born on July 26 and was released into the field with his mother last week.

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