Como Zoo welcomes baby giraffe

Officials at Como Zoo are celebrating the arrival of a new baby animal.

The zoo says 7-year-old giraffe Zinnia gave birth Monday night to a calf.

Officials haven’t yet named the calf or confirmed its gender, height or weight at this time to give the calf and its mother time to bond immediately.

Zinnia has also given birth to two other calves, and the arrival of the latest one boosts the zoo’s herd to four: Zinnia, Clover, Skeeter and the baby.

The zoo says the calf will likely make its public debut in the next few weeks.

Reticulated giraffes are native to the dry savannahs and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. The birth comes after a recommendation from the Species Survival Plan, coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, to maximize genetic diversity and ensure the long-term survival of the animals.