Young Giraffe Newest Addition To Indianapolis Zoo’s Plains Herd

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The Indianapolis Zoo announced a new addition to their Plains herd Wednesday, and she's just a year old. Kita (pronounced KEE-ta), a female giraffe, arrived in the middle of October from the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, where she was born on Aug. 6, 2017, the Indianapolis Zoo said in a release. Kita’s father, Ezeji, was born at the Indianapolis Zoo in 2009, one of the many offspring of the Zoo’s longtime breeding pair Eddie and Elena, according to a release.

The Zoo said Kita is now becoming acquainted behind the scenes with the other three giraffes, following a standard 30-day quarantine.

The Indianapolis Zoo said guests will likely get their first opportunity to meet Kita in the spring, as this is also when zookeepers hope she'll start participating in public feeds. The giraffe exhibit and seasonal giraffe feedings are presented by Meijer, according to the Zoo.

Zookeepers said Kita is very curious with a relaxed personality, adding that she "warmed up to keepers right away and has been hand-feeding from them while she and the other giraffes are spending the winter in a private, temperature-controlled facility," a release said.

The giraffe herd at the Zoo also includes male Majani, females Takasa and AJ (short for Ajabusana). The two females are also Elena’s offspring, making them Kita’s aunts, the Zoo said.

Though Kita already stands more than 10 feet tall, she is still smaller and has a lighter color than the Zoo’s other giraffes, as female giraffes can grow to around an average of 15 feet tall while males can reach 18 feet or more, according to a release.

Related: Giraffe Escapes Exhibit At Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

Catch up with other animals before Kita makes her spring debut during Christmas at the Zoo, happening now through Dec. 30. Send Patch your festive photos for a chance to win.

Known as the tallest mammal on land, giraffes are vulnerable to extinction, the Zoo said. In an effort to support a healthy population of animals in human care, the Zoo team maintains an active giraffe breeding program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan and hopes Kita will contribute to that program in the future, the Zoo said. (Subscribe to the Indianapolis Patch daily newsletter which is delivered to your inbox once a day to keep you updated with breaking news and other updates, for free. Make sure to "Like" Indianapolis Patch on Facebook).

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The Zoo supports the Giraffe Conservation Foundation as the 2018 recipient of its Round Up for Conservation initiative, and has raised $22,000 and growing for conservation and management of giraffes in the wild.

More information and updates: IndianapolisZoo.com

Photo provided by The Indianapolis Zoo