Meet Cricket, a Beautiful 'Little' Lady
April 23, 2010
Although it typically takes human babies around 12 months to take their first steps, baby giraffes can stand within 20 minutes of birth. Given that calves like little Cricket here stand 6' 4" tall on long, wobbly legs, this is even more remarkable. Born April 14th, Cricket is already running laps around the Denver Zoo's giraffe yard at just over one week old!
NEW LONG-LEGGED LADY RUNS LAPS AROUND DENVER ZOO GIRAFFE YARD
Visitors Can See Baby Giraffe Calf “Cricket” at Giraffe House
Denver, CO (April 23, 2010) – She’s got legs and knows how to use them. Denver Zoo has welcomed a new addition to its giraffe family, a six-foot-four, 170-pound female reticulated giraffe, named Cricket. Born Wednesday April 14, the calf can now be seen running laps around the zoo’s giraffe yard.
Cricket was born to mother, Heshimu, and father, Dikembe. Cricket’s been busy exploring the giraffe yard under mother’s watchful eye and has been getting acquainted with her aunts, Kipele and Masika as well as her older brother, Timber, Heshimu and Dikembe’s first calf together, born in August 2008.
Giraffes are born after a 15-month gestation period. The calf will nurse on her mother’s milk for approximately six months, at which time she will be weaned. During the first two years of a giraffe’s life, it doubles its height to be almost 12-feet tall.
Giraffes are the world’s tallest land mammal and can grow up to 17-feet tall. An adult female is between 1,540 to 2,600 pounds and adult males range from 2,420 to 4,215 pounds. Like human fingerprints, the markings of a giraffe’s coat are unique to each individual. Reticulated giraffes are native to the dry savannahs and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa.
About Denver Zoo: Denver Zoo is home to 3,800 animals representing more than 650 species and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). AZA accreditation assures the highest standards of animal care.
A leader in environmental action, Denver Zoo is dedicated to ensuring the safety of the environment in support of all species and is the first U.S. zoo to receive ISO 14001 certification for the entire facility and operations. This international certification ensures the zoo is attaining the highest environmental standards.
Since 1994, Denver Zoo has participated in 526 projects in 55 countries. In 2009 alone, Denver Zoo participated in 80 projects in 22 countries and 4 continents and more than $1 million in funds was spent by the zoo in support of animal conservation in the field.