Overview
- Ivy, a Masai giraffe born at Animal Kingdom in April, made her public savanna debut on Thursday, June 11, appearing on Kilimanjaro Safaris alongside her mother Willow.
- Disney says Ivy is growing quickly and now measures about 7½ feet tall and roughly 300 pounds after initial backstage bonding and monitored developmental checks.
- Park keepers cleared Ivy for the savanna only after she consistently nursed, followed her mother and adjusted to introductions with the adult herd.
- Guests are not guaranteed a sighting; guides advise watching for Willow, taking early-morning safaris, or riding multiple times to improve chances of seeing Ivy.
- Ivy’s arrival is presented as part of accredited conservation work through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan and is framed against the IUCN listing of Masai giraffes as endangered with about 30,000 remaining.