(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) said on Thursday, Sept. 17, that the zoo welcomed a new member to the giraffe herd.
Ten-month-old Khari, a Swahili name that means “kingly,” arrived from Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, North Dakota, on Thursday night and is settling into his new home and herd. CMZoo said he walked straight out of the giraffe trailer and started eating right away. Khari also shared space with the Zoo’s oldest giraffe, Amani, overnight so he would have a companion for his first night.
On Friday, Khari met Ohe, Wednesday, Thorn, and Kinda, and his care team will continue slowly introducing him to other herd members as he adjusts. He is curious and bold and is already moving comfortably through doorways, an important behavior as he shifts from space to space, according to CMZoo.
Khari’s move supports giraffe conservation through the Giraffe Species Survival Plan, a program managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The hope is that Khari will eventually become a new breeding bull and help contribute to the future of our giraffe herd…