Disney's Animal Kingdom visitors can now see the theme park's newest long-necked resident, Aella the baby giraffe. The female Masai giraffe calf, born June 29, has moved into the savanna of the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction.
Although Aella _ Disney says it's pronounced "eye-la" _ was 5 feet tall at birth, she's still the shortest on the savanna. Her parents are George and Lily, who is a first-time mom.
The Masai giraffe is a species found primarily in Kenya and Tanzania. There are thought to be 32,000 Masai giraffes left in the wild, Disney says, and their population continues to decline because of poaching and habitat loss. George and Lily were selected to breed through the Species Survival Plan, which is designed to encourage breeding of threatened and endangered species.
