KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — There are some more ‘spots’ at Zoo Knoxville with the addition of a new giraffe joining the zoo’s Grasslands Africa habitat.
Mokolo, a 10-year-old male giraffe, came to Knoxville from the Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP recommended him as a match for Frances, the matriarch of Zoo Knoxville’s giraffe family. The hope is to contribute to a healthy and genetically diverse future generation, according to the zoo.
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The zoo explained that Mokolo previously lived in a bachelor herd, and the move to Knoxville marks the next phase in his conservation role. He has already begun to settle in with his new herd mates, Frances and JJ. JJ was born at Zoo Knoxville in 2021 to Frances and Jumbe, who died in 2022.
“Every introduction and every pairing is carefully planned, and it’s exciting to see Mokolo settling in so well with Frances and JJ,” said Amber Howard, giraffe keeper at Zoo Knoxville. “Knowing that our daily care contributes to the long-term future of giraffes makes moments like this especially rewarding.”…