Kilimanjaro Safari just got a little busier and a lot cuter with the addition of three Masai giraffe calves to its sweeping plains. Mara, Milo, and Lincoln were born earlier this year and are now mature enough to follow their mothers out on the savanna.
If you want to see the babies, hop on Kilimanjaro Safari and look for the giraffes with leafy, uneven spots of the Masai giraffe. Disney reports the new babies are already doing very well in their new home.
“We want to make sure they are old enough to follow their mothers and family, so our animal keepers keep them backstage until they are old enough to feel secure. In the wild, giraffe calves have to learn how to follow their mothers in case there is danger.” wrote Jackie Ogden, Disney Parks’ vice president for animals, science and environment, on the Disney Park’s Blog.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is part of the American Zoological Society and participates in breeding programs for the conservation of many of its animals. There are about 35,000 Masai giraffe in the wild, said Ogden, but they are a favorite target of poachers who sell their meat, hide, and tails.