The San Diego Zoo Safari Park welcomed an unnamed calf on Jan.17, on what would have been the centennial birthday of the late actress and wildlife advocate Betty White.
The Safari Park made the announcement on social media, welcoming the “brand new wobbly wonder ” as the first giraffe calf of 2022. The unnamed calf was born to the first-time mom Zindzi.
"A wildlife advocate, Betty White spent her life championing the cause of wildlife around the world. She worked with many conservation organizations, including San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, to shed light on the need to conserve wildlife," San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) said in a press release.
The park said the calf is walking and nursing as it should, and will undergo a closer examination soon.
There are fewer than 100,000 giraffes that exist in their natural habitats, and that total has decreased by more than 40 percent over the last two decades, according to SDZWA.
In honor of White, who passed on Dec.31, 2021, the San Diego Humane Society waived adoption fees for all adult animals for a whole week. Many fans donated to an animal shelter or rescue of their choice in honor of the late actress.
