BAY LAKE, Fla. \u2013 Guests riding Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom can now spot a new \u201clittle\u201d face on the savanna: Ivy, a baby Masai giraffe born in April to mom Willow.<\/p>\n
Central Florida Insider was invited to witness Ivy\u2019s first steps on the savanna Thursday morning, June 11. Animal keepers said the calf \u2014 just over two months old \u2014 has been spending her first weeks behind the scenes with Willow and the giraffe herd before making her public debut.<\/p>\n
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Masai giraffe calf Ivy, born in April, has made her savanna debut and can be seen by guests on Kilimanjaro Safaris alongside her mom, Willow! (Walt Disney World)<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is Ivy\u2019s first day out on the savanna,\u201d said Derra Leonard, an animal keeper at Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom. \u201cShe just turned two months and one day today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard said Ivy\u2019s debut is a major milestone, with the calf adjusting not only to wide-open space and new herd dynamics but also to other species on the savanna and the Safari trucks carrying guests through the habitat.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was a little shy,\u201d Leonard said, adding that the behavior is normal for a young calf staying close to her mother.<\/p>\n
And while Ivy is a baby, Leonard said she\u2019s far from tiny. \u201cI\u2019m five feet tall, so Ivy was already a foot taller than me when she was born,\u201d she said. \u201cI think she\u2019s right around seven feet now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Disney\u2019s conservation team said Ivy also plays a role in broader efforts to protect giraffes in the wild. Caitlin Cox, a senior representative for the Disney Conservation Fund, said the calf is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums\u2019 Species Survival Plan, which helps maintain genetic diversity across accredited institutions.<\/p>\n
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Masai giraffe calf Ivy, born in April, has made her savanna debut and can be seen by guests on Kilimanjaro Safaris alongside her mom, Willow! (Walt Disney World)<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s contributing to maintaining the genetic diversity \u2026 so we hope the giraffe don\u2019t go extinct,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>\n
Cox said animals like Ivy can also serve as ambassadors, inspiring guests to learn about wildlife conservation and support efforts in their own communities and around the world.<\/p>\n
You can see her at Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom while riding the Kilimanjaro Safaris!\ud83e\udd92<\/p>\n
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