Join the herd Saturday, June 7 for World Giraffe Day with caretaker chats, enrichment, and more.
Visitors are encouraged to put World Giraffe Day at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden at the tippy-top of their to-do lists from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, June 7. Bank of Oklahoma is teaming up with the OKC Zoo to bring World Giraffe Day to new heights and celebrate the Zoo’s multi-generational herd.
“Giraffes are some of the most interesting animals I have worked with,” said OKC Zoo’s Curator of Hoofstock, Bill Smith. “Giraffes tend to be much smarter than most people give them credit for, but they also take a long time to adapt to any change.”
The giraffes in the OKC Zoo’s animal family include matriarch Ellie (24) and her daughter Julu (10), females Solstice (16) and Mashamba (7), male Demetri (8), and Njeri (4), daughter of Demetri and Julu.
Guests can start World Giraffe Day at the Zoo in Expedition Africa, presented by the Inasmuch Foundation, at the state-of-the-art barn/Giraffe House presented by The Ann Lacey Foundation. Caretakers will be on hand to talk about the herd and guests can see the giraffes receive special enrichment—activities and treats designed to engage their natural behaviors like foraging. Guests can also participate in educational activities occurring around the giraffe barn at Expedition Africa.
Adding to the Giraffe Day fun, the Oklahoma Zoological Society is celebrating with opportunities to support giraffe conservation with a plush adoption. Those who make a $25 or more donation to conservation will receive a giraffe plush. Guests can also participate in scheduled giraffe feedings for free presented by Bank of Oklahoma. These experiences will be free for all guests, while the food lasts for the giraffes, on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 at both feedings, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. On Saturday, Zoo guests will receive a free water bottle courtesy of Shape Your Future, a program of TSET, while supplies last. Water bottles will be given away beginning at 9 a.m. as guests enter the park.
"The OKC Zoo's animal awareness days are an excellent way for guests to learn more about the members of our animal family and shine a much-needed spotlight on the conservation needs of species around the world," said OKC Zoo Executive Director and CEO, Dwight Lawson. "The contributions of our partners, like Bank of Oklahoma, make events like these extra special and meaningful for our guests."
Giraffes are considered endangered with populations in Africa dropping 40 percent since the 1980s. The primary reason for the decline is habitat loss. Human activities, such as agricultural expansion, logging and urban development, have drastically reduced the available giraffe habitat. Currently, only 10 percent of the historic range for giraffes remains. As these spaces shrink, giraffes are forced to move elsewhere and face increased competition for resources. The OKC Zoo contributes to giraffe conservation by supporting Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) with funds raised through the Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation program. In 2023, Oklahoma Zoological Society’s annual fundraiser event, ZOObrew, raised $25,000 for GCF. GCF is an international science-based conservation organization that provides innovative approaches to save giraffes in the wild. OKC Zoo is also a founding member of Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Giraffe SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction program and AZA’s giraffe Species Survival Plan® (SSP). SSPs are cooperative, long-term management programs designed to maintain genetically viable and geographically stable populations of specific species. Guests can help protect giraffes, wildlife and wild places by supporting the Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation program and rounding up when making purchases in the park.
The Oklahoma City Zoo’s regular daytime hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry at 4 p.m. Now through Labor Day, ZOOfriends members can enter early at 8:30 a.m. to beat the heat. Purchase advance Zoo admission tickets at okczoo.org/tickets and avoid the entry lines. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.
Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. Zoo more with a ZOOfriends membership! As a ZOOfriends member of the Oklahoma City Zoo, enjoy free admission for 12-months, plus additional benefits and discounts. You will also be supporting the Zoo’s animal family, education programming, and conservation initiatives both locally and globally. Join or renew today at www.okczoo.org/membership.