Former Indianapolis Zoo giraffe to be featured Animal Planet show 'The Zoo'

A former Indianapolis Zoo giraffe will be making his Animal Planet debut Sunday night. 

Mshangao, a male giraffe born at the Indianapolis Zoo in 2016, will be featured on the next episode of Animal Planet's "The Zoo."

Mshangao moved from the Indianapolis Zoo to the Bronx Zoo last fall, and this episode of "The Zoo" will document his journey.

The episode description says along with Mshangao's relocation to the Big Apple, the show will feature endangered ducklings being hand-raised and cloud rats falling in love.

In other words, expect a cuteness overload if you tune in when it starts at 8 p.m. Sunday. The show will also be available online after it airs.

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Born on Jan. 9, 2016, Mshangao was the zoo's first birth that year. After he was born, the zoo took to Facebook and gave members of the public the chance to select his name. 

A poll with three name choices collected about 4,000 votes, and Mshangao, which means "amazement" or "surprise" in Swahili, won with about 39 percent of the vote. 

The other choices were Amazu, which means “no one knows everything” in Nigerian, and Jengo, a Swahili word meaning “building” or “construction.”

Mshangao was the sixth baby for mother Takasa, the zoo said. Zookeepers say the calf favors his father, Majani, in his coloring.

Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at 317-444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.