A new giraffe was born at the Memphis Zoo this week.
Fitz is six feet tall and weighs 150 pounds. He was born Tuesday, April 2nd, which is also his father Niklas’ birthday.
Fitz is Niklas’ 10th calf and the fourth calf for mother Wendy. Fitz will be on exhibit at the African Veldt section of the zoo, exploring and playing close to his mother.
“If the weather is nice, Fitz will be out on exhibit first thing in the morning and be out for a few hours each day,” the zoo said in a statement.
In the wild, giraffes as a species are undergoing what has been termed a “silent extinction” as they’re rapidly disappearing in their native habitat. The population overall has declined 40 percent in the last 30 years.
“This calf’s birth is very significant and is part of a Species Survival Plan,” the zoo said. “Species Survival Plans manage the breeding of a species to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable.”
