A Masai giraffe calf has been born at Toronto Zoo, arriving at 1:26 a.m. on Sunday, February 22. Within roughly 30 minutes, the newborn was already on her feet.
Credit: Toronto Zoo
Zoo staff say both mother and calf spent the weekend bonding. A health assessment on Monday morning showed the young giraffe, measuring about 6 feet 4 inches (1.95 metres) tall, is in good condition. The Wildlife Health team also confirmed the calf is female.
CEO Dolf DeJong noted the birth follows the zoo’s announcement of Mstari’s pregnancy on Mother’s Day last year. After a 15-month gestation, the calf’s arrival marks what he described as an important milestone for a species facing significant pressure in the wild.
The zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’s Masai Giraffe Species Survival Plan®, a coordinated breeding program among accredited institutions. Breeding introductions were monitored through November 4, 2024. In January 2025, the zoo’s Reproductive Science team analyzed months of fecal samples, confirming pregnancy through hormone levels consistent with normal gestation.
The birth comes with a note of remembrance. The calf’s father, Kiko, died unexpectedly last month. Staff say his legacy continues through his offspring.
This is Mstari and Kiko’s third baby, with their first baby in 2020 and second in 2022.
Masai giraffes have been classified as Endangered since December 2018 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Fewer than 35,000 remain in the wild, reflecting a population decline of more than 50 per cent over the past three decades. Illegal hunting and habitat loss remain the main threats.
The Toronto Zoo also supports field conservation through the Wild Nature Institute’s Masai Giraffe Project and plans to share updates on when the public can see the calf.