A Dallas Zoo baby giraffe will soon get a new name thanks to an anonymous bidder who paid $50,000 for the rights to name it.
The giraffe, who the zoo simply referred to as "little guy" when he was born over the weekend, will
receive his name on Monday, according to WFAA-TV.
The winning $50,000 bid was made by a regular zoo and animal supporter and not a corporate sponsor, noted WFAA-TV. The money will reportedly go to conservation efforts.
"So, the 'AT&T giraffe' likely isn't in the realm of possibility," the station wrote.
The Dallas Morning News reported that the mother, 6-year-old Chrystal, and the baby giraffe appear to be doing fine after the birth.
Dallas Zoo staffers told the newspaper that the calf is still at a critical stage and they want to make sure the mother and child bond to ensure that the calf reaches "appropriate developmental milestones." Staff members told the Morning News that the calf could go into its feeding habitat by sometime next week but the mother and son will stay together for the next three months inside during the evening "until the calf is big enough to be with the herd at nighttime."
"A new giraffe is always a reason to celebrate," veterinarian Lynn Kramer said in a statement, according to the Morning News. "They're remarkable animals, and are seriously threatened in the wild. Conservation is a key mission of our zoo, and this calf's birth will allow us to offer a timely teaching message about the efforts being made on their behalf."
Giraffes have a lifespan of 15 to 25 years in the wild and up to 32 and even 40 years in captivity.
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