A hand-raised Giraffe calf has made his public debut at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. 

Msumeno was born in December 2024 to experienced mother Nyah, but sadly he was abandoned after he failed to suckle. 

Keepers stepped in to hand raise the 60-odd kilogram calf, implementing around-the-clock care and feeding.

Unfortunately, Msumeno could not be reunited with the rest of the herd, as he would not reliably respond to keepers' calls to come and feed. Instead, he was introduced to his dad, one-tonne bull Mtoto, who has helped with his socialisation. 

His name means ‘seesaw’ in Swahili, a reference to his up-and-down start to life. 

Now a strapping young male Giraffe at over 275 kilograms, Msumeno has started to venture onto the public habitat adjacent to the main Giraffe herd, where he has been spotted smelling and touching noses with members of the herd, and even doing zoomies with his half-siblings on the other side of the fence.

It is hoped Msumeno will soon be fully weaned, and ready to become a fully-fledged member of the Zoo's Giraffe herd. 

Make sure you check out Msumeno and the rest of the Giraffe herd at Taronga Western Plains Zoo!