LIFE

Denver Zoo welcomes adorable baby giraffe

Mollie Muchna
MMuchna@coloradoan.com

While many have been anxiously watching a live video stream of a pregnant giraffe in a New York zoo, a baby giraffe was quietly born at the Denver Zoo.

Dobby was born at 3 a.m. Tuesday to mother Kipele. Both mom and baby are resting and bonding, and are not yet available for public viewing.

Dobby was 5 feet tall and weighed 73 pounds when he was born — figures that are actually small for a newborn giraffe, according to the Denver Zoo.

Zookeepers and veterinarians didn't know Kipele was pregnant until recently. In fact, Kipele was on birth control (yes, you read that right). However, zoo staff is happy to have the new addition.

Denver Zoo quietly welcomed the birth of Dobby, a male, reticulated giraffe, on the morning of Tuesday.
Dobby was born at 3 a.m. Tuesday to mother Kipele at the Denver Zoo. Both mom and baby are resting and bonding, and are not yet view-able to the public.

"This was certainly a welcome addition to the Denver Zoo family,” said Brian Aucone, Denver Zoo senior vice president for animal care and conservation. "Dobby may not have been a planned birth, but now that he's here, we're excited to have him and look forward to him engaging with our guests."

Kipele, the mother, has been around the Denver Zoo for a while. She was born there in 1993 and is the oldest giraffe at the zoo. Dikembe, Dobby's father, was born at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.

More than 70 giraffes have been born and raised at the zoo, according to a Denver Zoo press release.

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4 fun facts about giraffes:

  • Giraffes are born after a 15-month gestation period.
  • During the first two years of a giraffe’s life, it doubles its height to be almost 12 feet tall.
  • Giraffes grow up to 17 feet tall and are the world’s tallest land mammal.
  • Like human fingerprints, the markings of a giraffe’s coat are unique to each individual.

Dobby was born at 3 a.m. Tuesday to mother Kipele at the Denver Zoo. Both mom and baby are resting and bonding, and are not yet viewable to the public.