NORFOLK, Va. — The stork dropped off a new baby at the Virginia Zoo on September 9: a little giraffe!
A post on the zoo's Facebook page said visitors "experienced the unexpected" that morning when Imara gave birth to her ninth calf.
On September 19, the Virginia Zoo confirmed that the baby was a female. She's been named Tisa.
Tisa was able to stand up and nurse shortly thereafter. According to zookeepers, she was 122.5 pounds when she was first born and 6 feet tall.
"Keepers are keeping a close eye on mom and calf and will be coordinating a neonatal exam with the Zoo’s veterinary team to assess the calf’s health," the original Facebook post said.
An updated news release on September 19 described how Tisa had already changed and grown in her first ten days of life.
"Mom and baby are bonding, and the calf is nursing well. She appears strong and is already learning to run!" the release said.
The giraffe family is now a happy herd of five.
To celebrate, the zoo is hosting a digital giraffe Zoodoption special for $9.99.
From now until September 30, you can symbolically adopt Tisa for a chance to win a special behind-the-scenes tour!