TORONTO, ON, Sunday, May 11, 2025: In honour of Mother’s Day, your Toronto Zoo is excited to announce 11.5-year-old Masai giraffe, Mstari, is expecting! Mstari is six months into her 13- to 16-month-long pregnancy (just past the first trimester) and is doing well so far. Based on her previous pregnancies, we estimate her due date will be late winter to early spring 2026. |
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Your Toronto Zoo is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Masai Giraffe Species Survival Plan® (SSP), a cooperative breeding program among accredited zoos that recommended the pairing of Mstari and 12.5-year-old Kiko. In preparation for their introduction, Wildlife Care staff began collecting Mstari's feces three times a week to monitor her hormone levels. Breeding introductions were carefully observed up to November 4, 2024, and in January, our Reproductive Science team analysed several months of fecal samples for pregnancy hormone levels and confirmed that Mstari is showing normal hormonal signs of being pregnant.
“The reality for many species is simple: Out of sight, out of mind, and off the planet" says Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo. "Accredited zoos like your Toronto Zoo play a critical role in ensuring a better future for wildlife and wild spaces, and as Guardians of Wild we are proud to be contributing to the the population of this endangered species”.
Want to Get Up Close and Personal with Your Favourite Animals?
You can learn more and get closer to the Toronto Zoo Masai giraffes on a Wild Encounter Experience! Guests get a guided tour into the heart of the giraffe house, where they’ll delve into the secrets of enrichment, explore indoor habitats, and even peek into their at-home vet office for fascinating insights into medical training. Guests can get up close and personal with these majestic creatures as they watch Wildlife Care staff give the giraffes a feeding session. |
Conservation Status of Masai Giraffes
In December 2018, the conservation status of Masai giraffes was elevated to Endangered by the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN). Fewer than 35,000 Masai giraffes survive in the wild, having experienced more than a 50% decline in the past 30 years. Illegal hunting and habitat loss are their primary threats. Your Toronto Zoo continues to support field conservation efforts for the species through the Wild Nature Institute’s Masai Giraffe Project.
Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy
The Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy is the dedicated fundraising partner supporting vital conservation efforts led by the Toronto Zoo in the fight against extinction. With the help of generous donors, we support animal well-being, experiential learning opportunities, and essential conservation science programs connecting people with nature. Click below to find out how you can help create a lasting impact for animals like the Masai giraffes—today and for generations to come. |
Media Contact:
Amy Baptista
Media Relations Coordinator
416-848-5920 |
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The Toronto Zoo’s mission is to connect people, animals, conservation science and traditional knowledge to fight extinction and our vision is a world where people, wildlife and wild spaces thrive.
An iconic tourist attraction and Conservation organization, the Toronto Zoo boasts a number of leading programs for helping wildlife and their natural habitats – from species reintroduction to reproductive research. A world-class educational centre for people of all ages, the Toronto Zoo is open every day including December 25 and attracts approximately 1.3 million guests each year.
Toronto Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Zoo has also achieved the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) Certificate of Good Animal Practice® and is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA).
Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Ave, Toronto ON, M1B 5K7
View Toronto Zoo’s Privacy Statement
We acknowledge the land we are on is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Williams Treaty signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands. |
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