Disney's Animal Kingdom celebrates 'newest addition to the savanna'
Walt Disney World is saying "jambo" to its "newest addition to the savanna," at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, Tucker.
The baby boy giraffe was recently born to mother Mara, a Masai giraffe, and marks "the first giraffe calf birth at Walt Disney World Resort since 2021," according to the Disney Parks Blog.
Guests can already delight seeing Tucker while on the Kilimanjaro Safaris. His birth is the third for Mara, who joined the savanna in 2015. Her first calf, Jabari, was born in 2019. He has a sister named Maple, according to People magazine.
"He is brave; he does want to investigate new things, but he's also very calm like his dad Twiga," savanna manager Jenn Hernandez told the media outlet. "He has this nice calm energy, even though he's experiencing new things – like today, he's being so brave out on the savanna."
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Photos of the new calf and his mother were shared by Disney on social media, as well.
"Jambo, Tucker! Meet the newest addition to the savanna at @WaltDisneyWorld!" Disney Parks posted to X.
There are only 30,000 Masai giraffes worldwide, meaning they are classified as endangered, according to the Disney Parks Blog.
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"Tucker’s birth is really important for us. It’s a testament to Disney’s leadership in animal care and conservation and our incredible partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the Species Survival Plan," Dr. Mark Penning, vice president of Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, said in a statement.
"This plan focuses on maintaining genetic diversity of the giraffe population and helping to prevent giraffes from becoming extinct," he said.
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The Disney Conservation Fund has "directed more than $132 million to community conservation programs to support organizations working with communities to protect wildlife, inspire action, and promote environmental resilience" since its inception 30 years ago, according to the Disney Parks Blog.