Toronto Zoo’s baby giraffe named ‘Imara’ after public vote: ‘Certainly a gift’

The Toronto Zoo’s newest and tallest arrival, a Masai giraffe calf, finally has a name.

The zoo announced on Tuesday that the calf, born on Feb. 22 in Toronto, has been named Imara.

“That actually translates to strong and resilient, which I think is super appropriate,” said Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo.

Imara made her public debut earlier this month, and DeJong told reporters on Tuesday that she has since grown from about six feet four inches to nearly seven feet since her birth.

DeJong says the name was chosen from five options that were decided on between the zoo and the Kenyan Consul to reflect the Masai giraffe species. Less than 35,000 of the species remain on the planet.

“So every little one is certainly a gift,” he said. “While we’ve started to flatten the curve as far as loss, 50 per cent of these individuals have disappeared over the past few decades.”

A total of about 23,000 votes were cast to decide her name.

“One of the things we don’t take for granted is having these incredible animals in our care, and that responsibility and that means we care for them here but we also connect with their community,” DeJong said.

Imara can be met at the Toronto Zoo from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. every day, but he added she won’t be stepping outdoors just yet until absolutely every bit of ice is gone to ensure her safety.