By RYAN SKAITH
The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium welcomed a new addition to its herd with the birth of a female Masai giraffe named Aspen on Dec. 29.
Aspen was born to Alika, a 4-year-old Masai giraffe, marking her first calf. The father, Aidan, has now sired three calves at the zoo. Aspen is 6-feet tall.
According to zoo officials, Aspen is already bonding with her siblings, 2-month-old Beni and 18-month-old Willow. The birth is part of the zoo’s Wild Beginnings program, which aims to highlight the endangered status of the Masai giraffe subspecies.
While the herd is currently off-display due to ongoing construction, the zoo is providing a livestream for the public to view the giraffes until a new habitat opens this summer.