b'A View ofTHE ZOOWildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park Celebrates the Holiday Season with theMagenheim, Lorenzo Fuentes and Jolene Westerling Contributing photographers: Charles Ralston, Lee Birth of a Baby Reticulated Giraffe! W ildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park celebrated the holiday season and rang in the New Year with the birth of a baby Reticulated Giraffe! Baby Noel made her debut into the world just in time for Christmas day. At just a few days old, this precious calf was already standing over six feet tall! Female giraffes have a gestation of up to fifteen months,breeding program is due to the expertise and dedication of one of the longest gestations in the animal kingdom. In aits management, keepers, veterinary team, and Arizona\'s statement made by Wildlife Worlds Deputy Director, Jackideal climate conditions, which are similar to the savannas Ewert, "the calf is thriving under the close watch of herthroughout Africa. attentive mother. Over the next few weeks, keepers will begin to introduce the mother and baby to the rest of the herd."Wildlife Worlds keepers and veterinarians have raised dozens of species of wild and endangered animals over the past In the wild, the giraffe population is under a lot ofquarter-century. Wildlife World strives to maximize genetic pressure. This is largely due to habitat loss, fragmentation,diversity in the zoological population with their breeding degradation, poaching, and ultimately the growth of theprograms. As a USDA licensed, private institution, accredited human population. Giraffes are declared vulnerable toby the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) and the extinction on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums (AMMPA), Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park receives zero Joining in the fight to save the giraffe population fromtaxpayer funding. No tax dollars have ever been spent to extinction, Wildlife World has not only donated to worthybuild or operate Wildlife World in its 35-year history. organizations working to preserve these gentle giants but has also raised 13 giraffes in the last 19 years. The giraffesWildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is located at 16501 are ambassadors for their species and inspire visitors toFor more information call 602-321-5478W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park (southeast corner of State conserve and protect their wild counterparts. Mickeyor visit Facebook, Instagram, or TwitterRoute 303 and Northern Ave). Wildlife World looks forward Ollson, the founder of the Wildlife World Zoo, believes@ZooWildlife, and WildlifeWorld.com. to continuing to inspire the community to conserve and protect the success of the zoo\'s internationally recognized giraffewildlife in wild places as they have done in the past 35 years.ArizonaRealCountry.com February 2021 49'