Welcome to the savanna, Tucker! A new Masai Giraffe was born at Walt Disney World, marking the first birth at Disney’s Animal Kingdom since 2021. Tucker, the son of Mara, debuted today on the Kilimajaro Safaris attraction. Guests of all ages can hop aboard these safari vehicles for a look at this new addition to the park.
Surprise! A baby giraffe has joined the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park 🦒 Baby boy, Tucker, is the first giraffe birth at Walt Disney World since 2021! pic.twitter.com/gKTrJIXS4A
— Everything You Need To Know (@EYNTKinfo) April 7, 2025
New animals at Walt Disney World
Tucker has joined alongside baby tiger Bakso and a group of recovering manatees that have debuted at Walt Disney World in the past few months. These adorable animals can be seen at EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. This is the third calf by mother, Mara, as she welcomes in a new face to this protected savanna in the park.
While in a safe space, this calf is still easily spooked, as so many giraffes are. Visitors may get to see Tucker and his family go for a short sprint or tuck behind trees. The animals at Disney Parks are well-acclimated to louder noises and guests before being put out on the safari, so it’s fairly rare to see animals get spooked. This baby may offer a unique viewing of the animal’s natural instincts to hide and move from prey.
Baby giraffe at Walt Disney World
Dr. Scott Terrell, Director of Animal & Science Operations for the Walt Disney Company, states, “Mara, who joined our savanna in 2015, has proudly expanded her family, not once – but three times now! It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the birth of her first calf, Jabari, in 2019. Today we watched Mara and Tucker stretch their legs and stroll out onto the savanna.”
Saving the Masai Giraffe species
The Masai Giraffe is considered an endangered species, with only 30,000 left in the world. That means there are more Cast Members working just at Walt Disney World than there are total of these giraffes on Earth.
“Tucker’s birth is really important for us. It’s a testament to Disney’s leadership in animal care and conservation and our incredible partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the Species Survival Plan. This plan focuses on maintaining genetic diversity of the giraffe population and helping to prevent giraffes from becoming extinct,” said Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President of Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment.
