Baby Watch 2016

Anticipation is at an all time high at the Greenville Zoo as Autumn and Walter, a pair of Masai Giraffes, who live at the zoo in Greenville, SC, anxiously await the birth of the newest member of their family. After a long 14-month gestation period, Autumn is expected to deliver this month. Her baby will be close to 6-feet tall and around 150 pounds upon arrival. Now that’s a BIG bundle of joy!

You can watch from the comfort of your own home!
People around the world are invited to be a part of this amazing giraffe experience with live streaming webcam views. In 2012, Autumn and Walter celebrated the arrival of their first calf, Kiko, and EarthCam cameras were there every step of the way. More than one million people from around the world witnessed Kiko’s birth.

See What Autumn is Doing Right Now!
Log on to EarthCam.com and click on giraffe for a real-time check in on Autumn or download the Webcams app on your mobile device at http://www.earthcam.com/mobile/.

More about the Maisai Giraffe:
> The Masai giraffe is the tallest land animal on earth. Typically, a male can be up to 19-feet tall, while a female towers to 16-feet tall.
> The Masai can run up to 35 mph. Even lions tend not to prey on adult Maisai giraffes because one swift kick can deliver a skull-crushing blow.
> The Masai’s tongue is almost 18-inches long and is especially sticky, perfect for raking leaves off of thorny bushes without any injury. An ice cream cone wouldn’t stand a chance!
> These giraffes have a special valve in their hearts that monitors blood flow when giraffes lean their necks down for things such as drinking water. This valve keeps them from getting a major head rush!

Meet Jeff, the Zookeeper:
Jeff Bullock graduated from University of Florida expecting to pursue a career in state wildlife. A volunteer position at a zoo lead him to not only find a great career, but also a wife—she was the elephant keeper at the zoo! From Florida, to Kansas, to Texas to Greenville, Jeff has worked with a variety of animal in various zoo jobs working his way up to Zoo Administrator, which in the animal world means king of the jungle!

Jeff’s Passion:
Jeff has a passion for giraffes, as they were the first animals he worked with. His main concern now is with conservation, helping to make sure some of the great animals on our planet do not become endangered or extinct. “Zoo’s are the largest contributors to conservation efforts world wide,” Jeff said. So, if you support your favorite zoo, wherever it may be, you are helping to conserve wildlife!

Connect and Smile with EarthCam.com:
“EarthCam.com is a way for people to connect with Autumn and Walter. Our hope is that inspires people to learn more about and support conservation efforts. There have been many feel-good stories. A couple examples are one lady was going through cancer treatments and she watched the giraffes everyday through EarthCam.com just because it brightened her day. Another lady, who lives in Washington State and is disabled, sends us a money order every single month to help support the zoo because she has connected with the giraffes from across the country,” Jeff said.


About the Greenville Zoo:
This zoo, located in the heart of Cleveland Park in Greenville, SC, was opened as a 4-acre community zoo in 1960. The zoo has grown to cover 14-acres and features more than 300 animals, including lion, leopards, a variety of monkeys, a reptile house, tortoises, lemurs and more!



Now what?
Log onto EarthCam.com, click on giraffes and fall in love with Autumn as she nears her delivery date.
Take a road trip to Greenville to visit the zoo in person.  150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenville, SC 29601; 864-467-4300
Become a friend of the zoo, adopt an animal, support new exhibits or make a donation—greenvillezoo.com
Like the Greenville Zoo on Facebook!




**STORY ADDITION**

Autumn had her baby on February 2nd at 6:15 a.m. Both Autumn and the calf are doing well, and the zoo’s medical staff has been monitoring the calf to ensure that it is meeting important benchmarks, such as standing and nursing successfully. To learn more, log on to: www.greenvillezoo.com
Source: http://greenvillezoo.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=37