Baby Giraffe Can Now Be Seen at Nashville Zoo

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville Zoo’s three-month old Masai giraffe can now be seen by the public 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the African Savannah with the zoo’s giraffe herd.

The zoo’s 12-year old Masai giraffe, Margarita, gave birth to the male calf Feb. 10. Now three months old, Mazi weighs 460 lbs. and stands just under 8 feet tall.

The zoo’s giraffe keepers chose the name Mazi (pronounced MAH-zee), which is short for Mazingira Magumu. The name is Swahili meaning “vulnerable,” a conservation term recently given to giraffes by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Nashville Zoo’s 1.5 acre Giraffe Savannah opened in April 2006 thanks to hundreds of supporters who contributed to the Zoo’s “Stick Your Neck Out” campaign.

Through recent conservation work in Africa involving genetics and population assessments, it has recently been determined the threats to the wild population of giraffe are more severe than what was initially realized. African giraffe populations as a whole include approximately 60,000 animals; however, recent studies have discovered isolated populations and even different species of giraffes whose numbers range as low as a few hundred to a few thousand. In an effort to support the work going on to help the plight of giraffe, Nashville Zoo donated $10,000 to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation in 2016.

If you would like to join in the effort to save these magnificent animals for future generations, you can make a donation in Mazi's name to Nashville Zoo, and all proceeds will go towards giraffe conservation efforts. Donations can be made on the zoo’s website: https://www.nashvillezoo.org/conservation. 

About Nashville Zoo

Nashville Zoo is a nonprofit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, assuring the highest standards of animal care and husbandry. The Zoo is actively engaged in conservation research, habitat protection, breeding programs and education initiatives around the globe as well as in our own backyard. Celebrating 20 years at Grassmere, the Zoo attracts more than 890,000 visitors annually and is considered one of the top attractions in Nashville. Nashville Zoo is located at 3777 Nolensville Pike and is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. For more information about Nashville Zoo, visit www.nashvillezoo.org.

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