WELCOME, AMANZI
Lion Country Safari has newborn giraffe in herd
Another baby has joined Lion Country Safari’s giraffe herd.
The female calf was born April 23 at the drive-through safari park, Lion Country said in a news release.
Park staff aptly named the calf Amanzi, Zulu for “water,” after she was born during an afternoon thunderstorm. She measures 6 feet tall and weighs 167 pounds, the park said.
Lion Country Safari teased social media followers to Amanzi’s arrival in a tweet on April 23. A photo of the calf ’s mother with Amanzi beginning to emerge was shared with the caption, “And as the storms came through on Safari, something wonderful started to happen.”
The calf’s parents are 13-year-old Cupid and 9-year-old Lily. Cupid has sired 12 other calves, including Kimberlina, one of the other giraffes born this year. This is Lily’s fifth calf.
Amanzi is the third giraffe born at Lion Country Safari this year, the park said. The other two calves already have joined the main herd at the park, but Amanzi will remain in a separate maternity area for several weeks.
A male Asiatic water buffalo also was born this year at Lion Country Safari.
Giraffes reproduce yearround and the gestation period is about 15 months, the park said.
Lion Country Safari celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.