Name of April the Giraffe's new calf revealed: Tajiri
HARPURSVILLE, New York -- April the Giraffe's new calf now has a name: Tajiri.
The announcement was made Monday morning on Good Morning America by Animal Adventure Park owner Jordan Patch.
After a naming contest was held, ten names were narrowed down as the finalists, and the choice was Tajiri, a word in Swahili that means hope, Patch said.
It was chosen to carry forward the message of hope for conservation and preservation of giraffes in the wild.
He'll be called 'Taj' for short.
Animal Adventure Park's live stream of the recently-very-pregnant April the giraffe captivated hundreds of millions.
Viewers continued to watch as the new mom introduced her son to the world.
The 15-year-old giraffe delivered her calf in an enclosed pen at the zoo in Harpursville, about 130 miles northwest of New York City. The mama giraffe tenderly licked her calf, which began to slowly pick its head up from the floor of the pen. About 45 minutes after it was born, the calf stood on its wobbly legs for the first time while mom helped keep her baby steady.
April had the baby with Oliver, a 5-year-old giraffe, according to Animal Adventure. This is Oliver's first calf, but April knows the drill - this is her fourth.
The privately owned zoo began live-streaming from April's enclosure in February.
A look at the moment April gave birth:
A look at April's calf standing for the first time:
Because of fears of inbreeding, the calf will be relocated to another facility once the weaning process is over.
More video from Animal Adventure:
