TULSA, Okla. (June 9, 2020) – Ohe, the Tulsa Zoo’s 2-year-old male giraffe, is making a new home in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado. There Ohe joins a new herd and makes way for the Tulsa Zoo to receive additional giraffe in the future.
“Thanks to months of planning and preparation, I am proud to report Ohe calmly walked onto his transport trailer earlier this week for the trip to Colorado,” says Vice President of Animal Conservation & Science Joe Barkowski. “Impressive efforts by our Animal Care team included using a mock trailer built by our Operations team as a way to help acclimate the giraffe to the experience before his move date.”
“The zoo is sad to say goodbye to Ohe. We do so knowing he has a fine home in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo,” Barkowski says.
Ohe was born at the Tulsa Zoo on July 22, 2018, to mom Lexi and dad Hekaya. His name, which means “to win” in the Osage language, was chosen by Osage Casino & Hotel, which supplied a sponsorship to expand the giraffe facilities. Because of this sponsorship, the Tulsa Zoo is able to plan for a larger herd and increase participation in Species Survival Program breeding recommendations for giraffe from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the zoo’s accrediting body.
“The completely reconfigured giraffe barn embodied our commitment to current and future giraffes by providing the best opportunities for them to thrive at our facility,” Barkowski says.
About the Tulsa Zoo giraffe herd: Male giraffe Hekaya joined the zoo in 2016 from the Bronx Zoo in New York. Female giraffes Lexi and Pili are 13 and 11, respectively. They joined the zoo in 2011 from Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri, and the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, respectively.
