A Season of Hope: Preparing for Our Newest Arrival
This holiday season, the air at your Toronto Zoo is filled with excitement — and a sense of wonder. Behind the scenes, our Wildlife Care team is preparing for a truly special event: the birth of a Masai Giraffe calf early in 2026.
Very soon, we’ll witness some of nature’s most heartwarming moments — those first tentative steps, the soft nudge of a mother’s nose, and the beginning of a brand-new life. It’s a time of great joy, but also of deep care and commitment as we prepare to give this little one the healthiest possible start.
From expert veterinary attention to habitat adjustments and round-the-clock monitoring, every detail matters. Your Toronto Zoo team has been working for months to make sure both mom and calf have everything they will need to thrive in their precious early days.
A Birth That Carries Hope
In the wild, Masai giraffes face extraordinary challenges. Over the past 30 years, their populations have fallen by more than half, leaving fewer than 35,000 individuals across their natural range. Poaching and habitat loss continue to pose a significant threat to their survival.
That’s why every new calf — whether born in the wild or here at accredited Zoos, like your Toronto Zoo — means so much. Each one is a symbol of resilience, hope, and progress for a species that has seen so many struggles.
These moments remind us why conservation work is so important. They show us what’s possible when care, science, and dedication come together to protect a species’ future.
Our Role
When delivery day finally arrives, mom gives birth standing up — an astonishing sight as the newborn calf’s front hooves and nose emerge first before it takes a gentle tumble to the ground. That first fall helps break the umbilical cord and stimulates the calf’s breathing. Within an hour, the newborn is usually standing tall beside its mother, ready to take its first wobbly steps into the world.
These first moments are the result of a collaboration of many: wildlife care, veterinarians, reproductive scientists, nutritionists, the wider Toronto Zoo team, and conservationists, all united by a common goal. Every new calf represents years of teamwork, research, and dedication.
What It Takes to Raise a Calf
Like any animal here at your Toronto Zoo, caring for a newborn Masai giraffe is an extraordinary commitment. In the first months after birth, a mother’s energy needs nearly double as she produces milk for her growing calf.
By around four months, the young one begins to explore new foods — sampling bits of browse, hay, and pellets — while still nursing for comfort and nutrition. The gradual weaning process can last up to two years, during which the calf learns critical behaviours by watching and mimicking mom.
Every ounce of food, every vet check, every quiet night of observation is part of nurturing new life.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
The Toronto Zoo’s conservation work builds on the legacy of pioneering Canadian scientists, like Dr. Anne Innis Dagg, the first Western researcher to study giraffes in the wild. Her groundbreaking work in South Africa in 1956 laid the foundation for modern research into their biology and behaviour, and her book Giraffe: Its Biology, Behavior and Ecology (1976) inspired generations as a scientist, feminist, and environmental advocate.
Dr. Dagg’s inspiring story was recently celebrated in a Canada Heritage Minute, where eagle-eyed viewers might have spotted our very own Toronto Zoo Wildlife Care team member, Elyse, and Toronto Zoo giraffes Kiko and Mstari, featured in the segment!
Over the years, the giraffes at your Toronto Zoo have contributed to important conservation research through the Wild Nature Institute, helping to protect wild giraffe populations.
From measuring new calves to providing weight and body condition data that supports the development of a body condition scoring system—used as a reference tool for their wild counterparts— your Toronto Zoo is providing valuable data and insights that aid in protecting these animals in their natural habitats through ongoing collaboration with Wild Nature Institute.
Looking Ahead
As we await the arrival of our newest calf, there’s a sense of shared excitement and quiet reflection among our team. Every new birth is a reminder of what’s possible when people come together in the name of conservation.
It’s a celebration of life, resilience, and the enduring connection between humans and wildlife.
This season, as we prepare to welcome a new life into the world, we’re filled with gratitude — for the animals in our care, the experts who devote their lives to them, and the countless people who share our love for these remarkable creatures.
Together, we’re helping to ensure a future where Masai giraffes continue to walk tall, inspiring wonder for generations to come.