The baby giraffe has a name!

The Buffalo Zoo today announced the name of a baby giraffe who was born in October. His name is Sampson.

Sampson was born on Friday, October 24, 2014 to mother, 5-year-old A.J, and father, 3-year-old Moke. Both are first time parents.

The day was a special one for giraffe keeper, Vicki Hodge. October 24 is her grandparents’ wedding anniversary, and also the anniversary of the death of her grandfather, whose middle name was Sampson. She named the baby in memory of him.

The name announcement coincides with a series of billboards that were unveiled around the Buffalo area this morning, revealing Sampson’s name to the community.

The billboards are provided through the generosity of Community Papers of WNY, LLC. and LAMAR Outdoor Advertising. The newspaper group will roll out a year of family-friendly activities and promotions on and off Zoo grounds throughout 2015. These efforts serve not only to welcome the giraffe and promote the Zoo as an institution of family recreation, but also to highlight conservation efforts and educational offerings for the community at large.  

Giraffe Born at the Buffalo Zoo

The Buffalo Zoo is celebrating the birth of a male giraffe.

                                                                                                                   

The yet-unnamed baby was born on Friday, October 24 to mother, 5-year-old A.J, and father, 3-year-old Moke. Both are first time parents.

The giraffe house will be closed temporarily, as A.J. takes some time to bond with her baby, and the herd adjusts to his presence. Zoo visitors will be able to enter the vestibule of the giraffe house and view the animals through the windows.

The gestation period of giraffes is around 15 months. Calves usually remain with their mothers until they are around 22 months old.  

Giraffes are native to the plains of Africa. The number of giraffes in the wild has dropped from 140,000 in 1999 to fewer than 80,000 today. The decreasing population is attributed to poaching, disease, and loss of natural habitat.

photo credit: Zoo registrar, Kelly Brown