Tulsa Zoo has an exciting announcement – female reticulated giraffe, Zoe is pregnant. Normal giraffe gestation can last from 14 to 15 months. Zoe’s care team estimates she is due this summer. This will be Zoe’s first calf.

“As with all pregnancies, there are risks, so we are closely monitoring Zoe,” said Tulsa Zoo Curator of Mammals Jordan Piha. “Just like in human pregnancies, we monitor through ultrasound techniques. To do this, our animal care team put in a lot of work to teach her how to stand for ultrasounds.”

Zoe came to Tulsa Zoo on a breeding recommendation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan® with male giraffe, Hekaya. This program works to ensure a sustainable population of these animals in AZA care.

Zoe is the youngest and smallest member of Tulsa Zoo’s tower. She is very curious, smart and attentive to her surroundings. She is also the most people-oriented giraffe at Tulsa Zoo.

According to AZA’s Giraffe SAFE initiative, giraffes are classified as vulnerable to extinction with fewer than 117,000 left in the wild.