The newest arrival to Roger Williams Park Zoo is tall, powerful and endangered. Meet Enzi.
PROVIDENCE – The Roger Williams Park Zoo's newest attraction will be hard to miss, as he already stands 10 feet tall and will probably grow to about 18 feet tall.
Enzi, an 11-month-old Masai giraffe, is joining the zoo's two other Masai giraffes, Cora and Providence, both females, in the hopes of helping to rebuild the Masai giraffe population, which is endangered.
Keeper Rachel McClung described Enzi, which means "powerful" in Swahili, as sweet and curious in a zoo news release announcing the giraffe's arrival.
"Enzi is understandably shy around new people, but he’s already shown signs of warming up," she said. "He cautiously accepted a treat from me, which was a positive step. It’s great to see him becoming more independent as he explores his new habitat."
Amy Roberts, chief zoological officer, said, "Our team is committed to providing Enzi with a comfortable and enriching environment as he adjusts to his new home."
How big are Masai giraffes?
Masai giraffes are the largest-bodied giraffe species, making them the tallest land animal on Earth, according to the zoo. Already as high as the rim of a basketball hoop, Enzi also weighs 730 pounds. Male Masai giraffes typically grow to 18 feet tall and weigh up to 2,900 pounds, according to the zoo.
Masai giraffes inhabit various regions of eastern Africa, but they're poached for meat, hide, bones and tail hair, the zoo says. They're also threatened by habitat loss. Over the last 30 years, their population has declined 50%, and they're listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the zoo says.
As of last month, the IUCN estimated there are 32,200 Masai giraffes, a slight rebound in their population because of conservation efforts, the zoo says.
Zoos work together for species survival
The zoo calls Enzi's arrival from Zoo New England's Franklin Park Zoo in Boston "a significant milestone, reinforcing the zoo's commitment to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for giraffes."
Species Survival Plans are collaborative breeding programs between member facilities to maintain "robust, genetically diverse populations of threatened and endangered species," the zoo says. The current Masai Giraffe SSP population consists of 137 animals, 60 males and 77 females, across 35 Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities.
The zoo made the announcement in conjunction with World Giraffe Week.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Roger Williams Park Zoo gets new 11 month old Masai giraffe named Enzi
