FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Rebecca Brown
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
760-346-5694 x. 2610
[email protected]
COUNTING DOWN FOR DADISI’S BIRTH OF BABY GIRAFFE
Come Visit the Zoo & Meet the Giraffes
PALM DESERT/INDIAN WELLS, CA (March 12, 2014) – Nature is taking its course as our female giraffe
Dadisi continues to get larger in all the right places, confirming her pregnancy and an anticipated birth in
the coming weeks. With excitement growing, The Living Desert invites everyone to learn more about
giraffes and participate in a birth date and time guessing game!
A few fascinating facts about the world of giraffes:
 The average gestation period for a giraffe is approximately 15 months.
 A baby giraffe is called a calf.
 Usually only one calf is born although twins have been recorded. Newborn calves grow very
quickly and can nearly double their height in the first year.
 Giraffes give birth standing up, requiring the newborn to fall about five feet to the ground.
Designed for such an abrupt entry into the world, a newborn calf can stand up and run within an
hour of being born.
 Baby giraffes are about 6 feet tall at birth.
 A newborn giraffe will suckle its mother’s milk as soon as it can stand up and calves are reliant
on their mother’s milk for up to 9-12 months.
 Giraffe have no formal breeding seasons as they are designed to be able to shift feeding
patterns in order to maintain a high nutrient diet throughout most of the year.
 Giraffes communicate by emitting moans or low notes that humans can’t hear. They can also
whistle, hiss, moo and roar.
Dadisi’s first encounter with our male breeding giraffe, Hesabu, was approximately 14 months ago. The
park’s African Animal Keepers are continuing to keep a close eye on her and logging daily observations.
“When it comes to nature, there is no telling what the future will bring, so our African Animal Keepers
are being extremely mindful and attentive to Dadisi. Although Dadisi has given birth to four healthy
calves, even a positive pregnancy could result in complications due to a variety of reasons, so we are
doing everything possible to help ensure a healthy result,” says Allen Monroe, President/CEO, The Living
Desert.
As the watching and waiting continues, The Living Desert invites everyone to enter a birth date and time
contest by either submitting a guess online at www.LivingDesert.org or by mailing in a postcard with
your guess to:
Dadisi Baby Birth Date and Time Contest
The Living Desert
47900 Portola Ave.
Palm Desert, CA 92260
The first person who comes closest to the birth date and time of the calf will win a Behind-the-Scenes
tour of the giraffe barn and a special giraffe plush to commemorate the day. Submissions will be
accepted until the day before the birth.
Meanwhile, start thinking about what to wear to a Giraffe Baby Shower! For information about The
Living Desert, call 760-346-5694.
About The Living Desert:
The Living Desert is an AZA-accredited zoo and gardens that is dedicated to conservation and education.
It is a family-friendly place to explore nature and create meaningful experiences for guests that are
remembered for a lifetime. For more information: (760) 346-5694 or visit www.LivingDesert.org. The
Living Desert is located at: 47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, CA 92260.
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