BERLIN — Choosing names for two baby giraffes at a Berlin zoo proved to be quite a tall task this summer.
After the half-siblings were born on June 24 and August 11 at Tierpark, one of the city’s zoos, the officials sought help from a school class and the zoo director’s 18-year-old daughter for ideas.
The school class suggested the name of their mascot, a giraffe called Gisbert, which was then shortened to “Berti” for the new male calf. The zoo director’s daughter, Emily, who is about 5.91 feet tall (the same height as a newborn giraffe), had the female calf named after her.
These endangered Rothschild’s giraffes are part of a herd of eleven, including their mothers and the male they share as a father. Another calf is expected in September from giraffe Maude.
Berti and Emily were officially named on Thursday, while two other giraffes, Paula and Andrea, posed for photos with their long, blue tongues. The newborns were in the background, nursing and playing on the grass.
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Rothschild’s giraffes are classified as “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with less than 1,100 remaining in the wild. They face threats from illegal hunting and habitat destruction in Kenya and Uganda.
Berti could grow to be 19 feet tall and weigh 3,968 pounds, while Emily may reach a height of 14.76 feet and weigh 2,646 pounds. They have a lifespan of up to 35 years in captivity, which is longer than in the wild.
Claudia Walther, the giraffe zookeeper, mentioned that Tierpark usually sees calves born every two years. This year has been exceptional with multiple pregnancies occurring close together.
“Having three calves born so close together is really special and exciting,” she said.
