Fans of the giraffes at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo might have noticed something missing lately.
Ruby.
The 3-year-old who moved to Lincoln from San Diego in May 2021 has moved on again, this time to the Birmingham Zoo in Alabama — where she was introduced to 16-year-old Jalil.
“We are hopeful that Ruby and Jalil will pair up and mate,†the Birmingham Zoo’s Annie Kaspar said in a news release. “If so, we have a while to wait for the birth of their calf: about 15 months.â€
Ruby’s move from Lincoln last month was scripted by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ species protection plan for the vulnerable reticulated giraffes, which dictates the breeding and distribution of the captive animals in North America to try to keep their genetics diverse.
The Lincoln Children’s Zoo joined the program in 2019, when it added giraffes as part of its $25 million expansion. With imported adults and three calves born this year, Lincoln’s herd had grown to nine.
Now it’s eight, and Birmingham’s is four. In addition to Jalil, Ruby also joined two females — Willow, 14, and Zuri, 12.
They live in what the Birmingham Zoo calls its Trails of Africa, a savannah-like habitat with ostrich, zebra, bongos, duikers and a nearby African lion. And, like Lincoln’s, the enclosure includes indoor access and a deck from which guests can feed the giraffes.
Ruby is getting acclimated to her new home after completing a health exam and routine quarantine, said Jennifer Ogilvie, a spokeswoman for the Birmingham Zoo.
“She has only been viewable to the public for over a week and has already stolen all of our hearts,†she said.
The species survival plan for giraffes covers 81 institutions and 388 animals in North America, said Mike Murray of Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo and the plan’s interim coordinator.
Population biologists, giraffe specialists and members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums meet routinely to collaborate on which giraffes should go where, but there are no immediate transfer plans for any of Lincoln’s other animals, said spokeswoman Erin Lenz.