Columbus Zoo announces 2 giraffes are pregnant

POWELL, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) - The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium announced Thursday morning that two of its Masai giraffe are pregnant, and due later this year.

The two expecting giraffe are named Cami and Zuri. One is due in August and the other is due in September. The sex of the calves is not yet known.

Zoo officials said they've been keeping this secret for awhile, as the giraffe have a gestation of 477 days.

The zoo was waiting until Thursday to make the announcement, for National Giraffe Day. The Columbus Zoo president and CEO, Tom Staff, commented on the announcement:

All of the elements of our World Giraffe Day celebration in the Heart of Africa region further demonstrate the tremendous advancements in animal health and animal care that our team at the Columbus Zoo has contributed to benefit wildlife,” said Columbus Zoo President/ CEO Tom Stalf. “We take great pride in the leadership and the dedication of our staff to provide the very best in animal care and welfare to the giraffes and other wildlife species to help protect their future.

If you're interested in seeing the zoo's giraffe in person, you can learn more on its website: https://www.columbuszoo.org/