Khon Kaen Zoo welcomes a new member, a 3-month-old female giraffe calf, offspring of father Khem and mother Baifern, highlighting another success in wildlife breeding.
At 09:30 on 5 Aug 2026 at Khon Kaen Zoo, Mrs. Tipawadee Kittikhun, the zoo director, announced that Khon Kaen Zoo has again succeeded in wildlife breeding after a female giraffe calf was born on Wednesday, 13 May 2026 at 07:00.
Now 3 months old, this marks another success in wildlife population management and breeding by the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, reflecting standards in animal care, welfare, and suitable environmental management that allow natural reproduction.
The new giraffe calf is the offspring of father "Khem," a breeding male imported from abroad born on 25 May 2009, and "Baifern (Chaeh)," a female transferred from Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo born on 14 Sep 2006. This calf is Baifern's ninth. Currently, Khon Kaen Zoo has three giraffes: the male, female, and the new calf.
Mrs. Tipawadee Kittikhun added that the calf is under close care by veterinarians and keepers, with ongoing monitoring of its health, nursing, growth, and mother-calf behavior to ensure proper development. Therefore, visitors are not allowed to feed the calf at this time.
However, visitors can closely observe the adorable calf from the Sky Walk bridge, which overlooks the giraffes grazing alongside zebras and ostriches in a beautifully recreated savanna grassland habitat.
"Giraffes are the tallest land animals in the world, notable for their very long necks and horns present in both males and females, covered with fur and not shed. Their bodies have short brown and white patterned fur, a distinctive feature. They also have long, strong lips and tongues that skillfully grasp leaves high on branches, especially acacia leaves, their favorite food."
Giraffes originate in Africa, living in savanna grasslands south of the Sahara Desert, ranging from Nigeria to the Orange River area. They are herbivores with four-chambered stomachs that efficiently digest plant material. Adult giraffes eat about 34 kilograms of leaves daily, meeting nutritional needs due to the high protein and calcium content of their chosen foliage. Adults stand 4.3 to 5.7 meters tall to the top of their horns, with males larger and averaging 1,192 kilograms, females around 828 kilograms, and an average lifespan of 25 years in zoos, compared to 10–15 years in the wild.
Mrs. Tipawadee further explained that this calf's birth is not only a success in wildlife breeding but also an important opportunity to educate children, youth, and the public about biology, behavior, and wildlife conservation, while promoting Khon Kaen Zoo as a quality learning center and conservation tourism destination.
Khon Kaen Zoo invites all visitors to enjoy the charm of the new giraffe calf, experience the savanna zone atmosphere from the Sky Walk bridge, observe giraffes, zebras, and ostriches up close, and learn about various wildlife species. The zoo is open daily from 08:30 to 16:30.