December 14th, 2023
Spanish Language Version (PDF)
County Executive Adam Bello and the Seneca Park Zoo today announced that Iggy, one of Seneca Park Zoo’s female Masai giraffes, gave birth to a calf late last night. This is the fourth Masai giraffe born at Seneca Park Zoo and is the offspring of Iggy and Parker. The gender of the new calf is not yet known.
Just one week prior, the Zoo’s other female Masai giraffe, Kipenzi, gave birth to a calf. The Zoo announced today that the calf is a male and will be named Parker Junior in honor of his dad Parker who died earlier this year.
“Another week and another giraffe for the Seneca Park Zoo. The new calf is an added holiday gift for the community,” said County Executive Bello. “The new calf and Parker Jr. are already romping together and we can’t wait to introduce both to the community.”
“The calf is doing very well, is active, and has been nursing,” said Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Chris McKinney. “We will perform an exam tomorrow morning, but the calf appears to be healthy, and is already running around with Parker Junior.”
Like Kipenzi before her, Iggy and Parker were a very valuable genetic pair, making their offspring important to maintain a healthy and demographically stable Masai giraffe population for the long-term future.
“We are thrilled with the new additions in our giraffe family,” said Seneca Park Zoo Director Steve Lacy. “They are a testament to the amazing care our animals receive from our staff. These new calves have a world-class home with the best animal health and animal care teams to watch over them. I cannot wait until our giraffe barn is open and our guests can see firsthand how amazing these new calves are!”
The Animals of the Savanna building will remain closed for the next few days so that Iggy and her calf may bond. Seneca Park Zoo will continue to provide additional updates on the health of the new giraffe as they are available.
Internationally, and in our own backyard, Seneca Park Zoo plays a key role in species survival. Chartered as an educational institution in 1957 by New York State, the Seneca Park Zoo Society plays an integral role in supporting Monroe County, the owners and operators of the Zoo. Together, we are working to bring animals back from the brink of extinction.
