Houston Zoo debuts new giraffe calf

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- While the rest of the world was glued to their computer screens waiting for April the giraffe to give birth, the Houston Zoo had two baby giraffes born in the month of April.

The second calf named Mara made her public debut Thursday. Mara and her mother, Asali, were given access to the main yard at the McGovern Giraffe Habitat, accompanied by one-month-old, Zindzhi and her mother Tyra.

After Mara got acquainted with her surroundings, the team introduced the calf to the rest of the giraffe herd. Baby and mama will continue to spend time in guest-view for parts of each day in good weather.

Mara was born at 6 feet and 6 inches tall weighing 148 pounds.

The Houston Zoo provides funds and training for local people in Africa to protect wild giraffes from poaching and harm. They walk long distances in areas of Africa where giraffes live to arrest illegal hunters and collect harmful wire traps set for wildlife in the trees and bushes.

The Houston Zoo provided training and funds for Enock Zulu, an Anti-Poaching Unit Manager leading a local community anti-poaching unit in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

In his six years of leadership, Zulu's teams have collected over 12,784 wire traps, rescuing 14 animals from snares, and have arrested nearly 90 poachers. He and his team risk their lives to protect giraffe and other wildlife every day.

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