Santa Barbara Zoo Welcome Young Giraffe

By the Santa Barbara Zoo

Welcome, Theo! Young male giraffe joins Zoo family

This week at the Zoo, you may see something really big…our new male giraffe, Theo!

Theo arrived at the Zoo about two weeks ago from Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. He is three-and-a-half years old, weighs close to 1,300 pounds, and is more than 12 feet tall. He won’t be fully grown for a few more years.

This week Theo will make brief appearances in our back giraffe spaces as he starts some “soft introductions” with the other giraffes. He’ll have access to his barn and the outdoor space area nearby while the rest of the herd is in the habitat, so he may be visible to guests.

All animals that come to the Zoo go through a designated quarantine period to ensure their full health before joining our resident animals. Once Theo completes the 30-day quarantine period, animal care staff will do introductions with the herd in the giraffe habitat.