Another one! Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens welcomes second new giraffe calf in less than a week

Jacksonville, FL — There’s a giraffe baby boom at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens!

Less than a week after a male calf was born to experienced mom Naomi, he has a new half-brother. A second giraffe calf was born at the Zoo early Sunday, to mother Luna.

“It’s really fun to have two calves this close together. We can’t wait to see how they’re gunna do when they get a little bit older and they’re playing with each other and watching them run around the yard- it’s gunna be awesome,” says Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Deputy Director Dan Maloney.

GALLERY: Second giraffe calf born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

This giraffe was also sired by Duke, who died at 21-years-old late last year, due to age-related issues. Maloney says Duke was considered important to their cooperative breeding program, so having two new sons after Duke’s passing is very special, because it continues that bloodline.

“Having a healthy population- really healthy bloodlines- is important to any of these cooperative breeding programs,” he says.

Conversations will take place with partners and under the species survival plan to determine whether and when that means these calves will move to another Zoo, in order to ensure that healthy future population. The Zoo is also looking at bringing in a new bull giraffe, so breeding can continue following Duke’s death.

“Giraffes are starting to have lots of problems within their home ranges in Africa. No one would ever have thought that giraffes would be under any kind of pressure and become rarer in different parts, but they are,” Maloney says.

This new youngster is small for a giraffe calf, standing at 5’9” and 119 lbs. For comparison, the calf born to Naomi a few days ago was 6’4” and 187 lbs. Maloney says Luna tends to produce small offspring, but by all accounts, this calf is healthy and doing well.

GALLERY: Male giraffe calf born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

The plan is to start introducing the new calf to other members of the herd in their side holding area, but Maloney says they intend to get him out on exhibit soon.

“They’re gunna grow up in that herd structure, so you might as well get them out there as soon as you can,” he says.

With high profile animals, the Zoo offers donors an opportunity to sponsor and name the babies. Maloney says, through that opportunity, it appears one of these calves will be named Izzy. The second one has not yet been determined.

And these are not the only new youngsters being welcomed at the Zoo.

GALLERY: Baby boom at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

In the last few weeks, the Zoo seen the birth of a yellow-backed duiker, hatchings of two Black-faced ibis chicks and a Magellanic penguin chick, and several additions to the herpatology collection.