Naming the Fort Worth Zoo’s newest resident may seem like a tall order, but one baby giraffe has certainly earned its title.
On Thursday, the zoo announced the birth of Korbel, an adorable giraffe who was born on January 1 and named after the popular champagne brand, given his height.
With a cute video shared on Xu (formerly Twitter), which was accompanied by a bluesy piano tune, Fort Worth gave animal lovers a good look at Korbel when they shared the latest “surprise.”
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“Meet little boy Korbel, the newest member of our giraffe herd. Born in the early hours of January 1, 2024, his name is a nod to the fizzy drink bottle, Korbel,” the zoo shared. “This little big guy is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds.”
In the video, the baby giraffe can be seen relaxing in the company of other members of its species and being gently licked by its mother Corrie, born in 2008, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
“He has bonded well with mum Corrie and is starting to get to know the rest of the herd,” the zoo wrote in a follow-up post. “It’s still too cold for Korbel to be outside, so he’ll stay in the barn for now. This gave him plenty of opportunities to interact with the enrichment.”
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As for how his personality takes shape, Korbel is “particularly fond of vine wreaths and hanging mirrors, where he catches glimpses of himself,” the Fort Worth Zoo added.
“Stay tuned for more information on Korbel and when it will make its public debut!”
Korbel is also not Corrie’s first baby. According to the zoo’s website, she previously gave birth to baby Dilly in January 2015. Dilly was born at 5 feet 6 inches and 132 pounds.
Korbel, like Dilly, is part of the zoo’s third generation of giraffes, as Corrie is the daughter of Kala from Fort Worth. Until 2021, Kala was still accepting new baby giraffes.
Korbel, a baby giraffe, was born at the Fort Worth Zoo on January 1.
Fort Worth Zoo
While Korbel may be a new addition to the zoo, it also has a few seniors living on its premises. In April 2023, silver-faced gorilla Ramzes celebrated his 52nd birthday, as he is believed to be the oldest representative of his species in the world.
On Xu (formerly Twitter), the caretaker of Ramses highlighted his private life as one of the reasons for his age. “Because we’re in the back, we can keep a closer eye on him during the day and make sure he’s OK,” Linda Roberts, the zoo’s primate supervisor, said at the time. “So we can see him more, interact with him more, and we can gauge how he’s doing.”
The gorilla first came to Fort Worth in 1992 and is best known for his human-like facial expressions and sideways glance movements.
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