CINCINNATI — If you bet on blue, you were correct.
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden announced its four-day-old giraffe is a boy. The zoo made the announcement Friday, appropriately on World Giraffe Day.
The baby giraffe, named Fennessy, is named after giraffe conservationist and founder of World Giraffe Day, Julian Fennessy.
Senior keeper in the zoo's Africa Department, Jenna Wingate, said she's thrilled it's a boy.
"This is my 6th giraffe calf and all five before this was female so I'm excited to see a baby boy growing up," she said, "see if there are any differences in his personality."
Fennessy was born Monday at 2 a.m. to parents Tessa and Kimba. The calf was standing within one hour and was nursing through the night, zoo officials said.
Fennessy is the 16th giraffe born at the Cincinnati Zoo since 1889. A 17th baby giraffe isn’t far behind. Another giraffe, 8-year-old Cece, is due to have her second calf in November, the zoo said.
Every single birth matters. Wingate said the giraffe population has decreased at least 30% in about 30 years.
"The fact that we can highlight that and the silent extinction -- because a lot of people don't know they're becoming endangered," she said.
Fennessy is currently bonding with Tessa and the other female giraffes behind the scenes. Kimba will join the full group in about a week.
