The National Zoo and Aquarium has welcomed it’s newest resident with the birth of a female giraffe named Mkali.

Pronounced as ‘Mer-car-lee’ which is the Swahili word for ‘bright’, she’s the fifth calf from the Zoo’s breeding pair of Giraffes.

The now 3-week-old is already standing at a height of 1.7 metres tall but could reach well over 4 metres by the time she’s fully grown.

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Wildlife Supervisor, Sophie Dentrinos says the Zoo’s newest addition will be on full display for the first time this weekend.

“She’s doing a very good job at showing herself off, she likes to sit right in front of the viewing area.”

“But just like any baby she does have bursts of energy and then needs a nap, so the best time to for visitors to see her is between 10am and 2pm.”

As the youngest sibling to 4 other giraffes: Kebibi, Nzuri, Khamisi, and Themba, the group are the product of a larger regional breeding program – helping to maintain genetic diversity within the species across Australia and New Zealand as their numbers in the wild continue to decline.

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