Nashville Zoo has a new giraffe named Nasha. She came to us in September from the Cincinnati Zoo and can be seen on exhibit along with our male Congo, adult female Margarita and 4-month old Enzi.
Nasha was born at the Cincinnati Zoo on April 28, 2014 and gained immediate popularity due to a social media campaign that documented her birth. Nasha was chosen by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan to join Nashville’s herd, providing valuable genetic diversity to our collection and the captive population.
“Nasha is a prized addition to our giraffe herd,” said Lanny Brown, Nashville Zoo’s Mammal Curator. She’s pretty cute and guests will have plenty of opportunities to see her grow up. In a couple of years, she’ll be old enough to breed with Congo, expanding our giraffe herd as we head into the future.”
Masai giraffe are one of nine different giraffe sub-species and are known for their oak-leaf shaped spot pattern. They are native to the savannahs of Kenya and Tanzania in Africa.
Nashville Zoo’s 1.5 acre Giraffe Savannah opened in April 2006 thanks to contributions from philanthropist Mrs. Maggi Margaret Turner, the Vandewater family and hundreds of supporters who contributed to the Zoo’s “Stick Your Neck Out” campaign.