Just Precious! OKC Zoo announces name of newest giraffe calf

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden's newest arrival, a female giraffe calf, now has a name: Azizi!

OKC Zoo officials say Azizi is Swahili for precious and was selected to honor Love’s Travel Stops for their continued philanthropic support of the OKC Zoo and its newest habitat expansion, Expedition Africa.

“We are in awe of the newest addition to the giraffe family at the OKC Zoo and our employees took great joy in choosing her name, Azizi,” said Jenny Love Meyer, chief culture officer and executive vice president at Love’s. “We can’t wait to see her grow and thrive with other members of the herd at Expedition Africa.”

Azizi is 8-year-old Julu’s second offspring with 6-year-old Demetri, who are also parents to 2-year-old Njeri, born September 2021.

According to Azizi’s caretakers, she is healthy and hitting important milestones for a calf including nursing regularly, navigating her environment and showing interest in solid foods such as browse—leaves, twigs and buds from trees and shrubs.

“We are all in love with Azizi and excited to welcome Zoo guests to Expedition Africa to see her and our entire giraffe family,” said OKC Zoo’s Curator of Primates and Ungulates, Tracey Dolphin. “Guests will be in awe of the vast and enriching spaces created for our herd and other iconic African species that will call Expedition Africa’s savanna home. These advanced developments will enable us to grow our herd and further connect guests to these amazing animals. We are extremely grateful to our guests and community partners like Love’s Travel Stops for their continuous support of the Zoo and this major project.”

Azizi is the 58th giraffe to be born at the Zoo since the first giraffe birth in 1965. Mom Julu was born at the OKC Zoo in 2015. The Zoo cares for three generations of giraffes as matriarch Ellie, 23, is mother to Julu and grandmother to both Njeri and Azizi.

All pathways in Expedition Africa are now open and guests can enjoy a close-up look at Azizi and her giraffe family from their spacious savanna or inside the giraffe house.

Since the 1980s, giraffe populations in Africa have dropped 30%. The primary reason for the decline is habitat loss. Human activities such as agricultural expansion, logging and urban development have drastically reduced available giraffe habitat. Currently, only 10% of the historic range for giraffes remains. As these spaces shrink, giraffes are forced to move elsewhere and face increased competition for resources.

The Oklahoma City Zoo is supporting Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) with funds raised through the Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation program. GCF is an international science-based conservation organization that provides innovative approaches to save giraffes in the wild.

This September, Oklahoma Zoological Society’s annual fundraiser event, ZOObrew, raised $25,000 for GCF. 

Learn more about the conservation effort or buy tickets to see the zoo’s giraffe family on the OKC Zoo website.