Overview
- Dr. Mark Penning formally revealed the calf’s name as Ivy in an Animal Kingdom post that staff first shared on Thursday, after keepers voted from a 12-name shortlist.
- Ivy is a female Masai giraffe born in early April who arrived weighing about 120 pounds and standing nearly six feet tall.
- The calf has been bonding with her mother Willow while Animal Kingdom’s care team monitors her health and development backstage.
- Disney says Ivy is thriving and will be moved to the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna for guest viewing very soon, with early-morning rides increasing the chance of sightings.
- The birth feeds into Disney’s spring baby-animal season and supports broader conservation work, noting that Masai giraffes are listed as endangered by the IUCN with roughly 30,000 animals remaining worldwide.