Winning bidder will get to name baby giraffe born Sunday at Sacramento Zoo
The Sacramento Zoo has a new baby giraffe and zoo officials are asking the community to help them name her — for a fee.
Shani, a 10-year-old Masai giraffe, gave birth to a female calf Sunday evening, zoo officials said.
Zoo supporters can name the baby giraffe or be among the first to meet her as part of Auction 2020, a fundraising initiative that runs through Sept. 29. Bidding for the right to name the giraffe was up to $7,600 as of Wednesday morning.
Other auction items include Breakfast with Butternut, the prehensile-tailed porcupine; an original orangutan painting; a morning with the animal health team; a bayou dinner with the gators; a private Boo at the Zoo event for Halloween; and a private Easter egg hunt.
Zoo officials said the cost of caring for animals and operating the zoo is more than $460,000 per month. Despite an extended closure due to the coronavirus pandemic and the forced cancellation of fundraising events, the zoo’s staff continues to provide daily care to nearly 500 animals, officials said. Officials said the auction was designed to generate much-needed revenue for the nonprofit zoo while offering supporters an opportunity to connect with animals through a variety of unique experiences.
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 11:36 AM.
