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Baby Giraffe Gets a Name!
‘Jafari’ is the winner in online vote

After a three-week wait, the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo’s baby giraffe has a name! ‘Jafari’ was declared as the male baby’s new name after voting closed at noon today on the zoo’s web site.

Jafari won with about 30% of the vote from five names selected in advance by Fort Wayne Children's Zoo keepers. The name, which means “dignified” in the African Swahili language, competed against Nishari, Jabari, Hurley, and Kolea for the honor. More than 3,500 people participated in the online vote. Several schools and classrooms, including Croninger Elementary School and Carroll High School’s Special Needs class, also cast votes.

Born on August 5, Jafari is already showing signs of living up to his name. “He likes to go off and explore on his own,” says African Journey Zoo Keeper Tim George. “He is already pretty independent.”

Visitors can expect to see Jafari and his 18-year-old mother, Zuri, in the zoo’s grassy 2-acre giraffe exhibit in the African Journey over the next few days. More than 6’5” tall at birth, Jafari seems to be growing taller every day, his keepers say. The pair will take turns in the exhibit with the zoo’s other giraffes, which include Jelani, age 9 (Jafari’s father); Kalahari, age 18; Mystic, age 1; and Luna, age 1. “Zuri is still protective of Jafari, and she won’t allow all of the other giraffes to get near the baby,” says George.

Though some of the African Journey exhibit is under renovation, the giraffe exhibit and the African Village can be visited until the zoo closes for the season on October 14.

The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is one of the area’s major attractions, drawing 500,000 visitors every year. The zoo was named one of the country’s “Ten Best Zoos for Kids.”

The zoo is open every day 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. until October 14. Admission is $8.00 for adults, $5.00 for children age 2-14, and $7.00 for seniors over age 60. Babies age 1 and under and Zoo Society Members are admitted free.

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