Two new males were born this week
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) is celebrating the birth of two giraffe calves on consecutive days this week.
One was born on Tuesday, March 23 and the other on Wednesday, March 24.
The calves are two of the three anticipated births this spring from the zoo's renowned giraffe herd.
The two young giraffes, both male calves, were each given a neo-natal exam from the zoo's veterinary staff Friday morning.
The neo-natal checks include physical exams to look for any birth defects, verify gender, determine calves' weight, check vital signs, sterilize the umbilicus and provide tetanus vaccinations.
The exams also included micro-chipping the young giraffes and taking blood samples.
These blood samples are essential as they are the prime indicators that the newborn giraffes have received colostrum, essential antibodies from their mothers' milk. These antibodies are needed to build the baby giraffes' immune systems.
The March 23 arrival was born to Muziki, an11-year-old female, while the mother of the March 24 birth is 8-year-old Uzuri.
This is Muziki's third birth and Uzuri's second at the CMZ.
Both of the giraffe calves were sired by the Zoo's bull giraffe, Mawimbi.
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