A new giraffe was born at the San Diego Zoo on Sunday morning, bringing a welcome moment of joy to an institution that has endured one of its most challenging years in recent memory.
A Masai giraffe calf was born November 30, 2025, to mother Mawe and father Chifu, and early observations (and a video obtained by SanDiegoVille) indicate the newborn is healthy, standing, and bonding well with its mother. The Zoo has not yet announced the calf’s sex or name, but wildlife care specialists say both parents are attentive, with Chifu watching closely from nearby as Mawe nurses and protects the little one.
The birth carries special significance for San Diego Zoo staff, who have known Mawe since the moment she entered the world. She was born at the Zoo in late November 2021- almost exactly four years to the day before welcoming her first calf. Her mother, Saba, helped establish a strong matrilineal presence in the giraffe habitat, and Mawe’s own new role as a mother continues that lineage. Chifu, born in 2009, is one of the Zoo’s most genetically important Masai giraffes, having returned to San Diego after a period at the Sacramento Zoo. He sired a calf earlier this year and is now contributing once again to the Zoo’s long-term conservation program…