First Baby Giraffe Born in Central New York at The Wild Animal Park

There's a new addition to the Wild Animal Park in Chittenango. The first baby giraffe has been born in Central New York.

Jasmine gave birth to the little one on Monday, October 25. The baby weighed in at 99 pounds, is just under six feet tall and was up walking after only an hour of being born. "All health and vet checks have gone well for mom and baby," said park owner Jeff Taylor.

The baby doesn't have a name yet and Taylor said they'll be holding a contest to pick the right one. They'll also wait to introduce the baby to the public. It's in the giraffe barn with mom for now. You'll be able to see it for yourself sometime in late November if you book a private off-season giraffe encounter. Or you can see both baby and mom next spring when the park re-opens.

Giraffe Feeding Station

You can get even closer to the magnificent giraffes and the new baby than ever before at the new giraffe feeding station. It not only provides more room for the animals to roam but also gives you a chance to get up close. "We are always looking to improve for our animals and our guests," park owner Jeff Taylor said.

The original giraffe feeding station had steep stairs due to a lack of space, creating problems for anyone with a disability or in a wheelchair. "We decided to more than double the size of our giraffe yard for the animals, but we also opened the new feeding station that is fully accessible to all of our guests," said Taylor.

Winter Wonderland of Lights

A new holiday tradition will kick off the season at The Wild Animal Park with the Winter Wonderland of Lights. The show will open on Thanksgiving night and run every Thursday through Sunday until the New Year.

The Wild Animal Park is located at 7621 Lakeport Road in Chittenango. You can learn more about the park and get tickets at Thewildpark.com.

Take a virtual tour to see everything The Wild has to offer.