Necks-level news: Hogle Zoo's giraffe herd grows from six to seven
Stephanie gives birth to healthy female calf on July 20
Hogle Zoo’s giraffe herd has grown from six to seven with the birth of a healthy female calf to 8-year-old Stephanie and 5-year-old Ja on Monday, July 20, 2026. This tall arrival stands six feet and weighs 159 pounds.
The African Savanna team created a soft-landing area inside the hoofstock barn to support the calf’s natural six-foot drop into the world. As an experienced mother, Stephanie has been patient and attentive as she cares for her newborn, who has already begun exploring her surroundings and occasionally breaking into playful zoomies.
The calf was born with an umbilical hernia that is not causing complications and will be repaired with surgery in the coming weeks. During her initial exam, animal health and care teams evaluated the hernia and are continuing to monitor it closely. Overall, the calf is healthy and is nursing, digesting, defecating, and moving normally.
Stephanie and her calf remained behind the scenes following the birth to allow the calf time to adapt to her new surroundings. Guests may see the pair in the winter yard, located behind The Eccles Express Train Station, this summer.
This is Stephanie’s third calf, following Reyna (2022) and Nguvu (2025). It is also Ja’s third calf. His previous offspring are Nguvu (2025) and Hal, born to Minka in January 2026. Ja arrived at Hogle Zoo from Memphis Zoo in June 2022 based on a breeding recommendation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan®.
About giraffes
Found in Africa’s savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands, giraffes form loose, ever-shifting herds of 2 to 70 individuals. As large herbivores, giraffes play a key role in shaping vegetation, supporting biodiversity, and maintaining ecological balance across the landscapes they inhabit. Through browsing, seed dispersal, and long-distance movement, giraffes help shape healthy ecosystems.
Stephanie’s third calf contributes to the long-term conservation of giraffes, a vulnerable species facing habitat loss, human population growth, and poaching. Facing a “silent extinction,” giraffe populations in their natural habitats have declined by nearly 30% in the past 35 years, with relatively little public awareness.
As a participant in AZA’s Giraffe SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, Hogle Zoo joins more than 100 AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums supporting giraffe conservation through research, education, field conservation, public awareness, and expert animal care. Since 2017, Giraffe SAFE partners have contributed more than $9.1 million toward giraffe conservation efforts. Hogle Zoo also supports Save Giraffes Now, which works across Africa to rewild and rescue giraffes, support anti-poaching and de-snaring efforts, and mitigate human-giraffe conflict.
Every visit to Hogle Zoo supports wildlife conservation efforts locally and around the world. Visit the giraffe herd in the African Savanna to learn how Hogle Zoo helps protect this iconic species.
Utah's Hogle Zoo
