Baby giraffe back home at Franklin Park after post-birth complications

A baby giraffe is now back home and safely recovering at the Franklin Park Zoo after experiencing some post-birth complications last month.

The then newly born calf was taken to the Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University on July 24, after experiencing trouble standing on her own and nursing with her mother, Jana.

The now two-week old baby will undergo hand-rearing from the zoo staff, which will require around the clock care, a statement from the park said.

“We are very encouraged by the calf’s progress and are glad she is back home,” Dr. Eric Baitchman, Director of Animal Health and Conservation Medicine at Zoo New England, said in a statement. “Even though she continues to require supportive veterinary care for a touch of pneumonia and time to improve her physical coordination, we are optimistic for a good prognosis.”

Teams will continue to bottle feed the baby until she can be weaned at around six to eight months, zoo official said.

While the young calf isn’t in the same stall as her mother, the two are near each other and can see, hear and sniff each other.

“The ultimate goal is to reunite the mother and calf as she continues to progress and eventually to have the entire family together on the Giraffe Savannah, but it is too early to say when this could happen,” zoo president John Linehan said in a statement.

To celebrate the good news, zoo officials are holding an online vote to name the new baby. Readers can choose two candidates proposed by the staff: Asha, meaning “hope” in Sanskrit, or Amari, meaning “strength” in Yoruban.

You can make your pick on the zoo’s website.