TORONTO, ON, March 31, 2026 - The community has spoken and the votes are in! The female Masai giraffe calf born on February 22nd at your Toronto Zoo, and affectionately known as #Babylongneck, now has a name and we are so grateful to everyone who participated! This marks the highest engagement we have ever had with a naming contest, a reflection of the love and support our community has for the animals in our care at their Toronto Zoo. With more than 23,000 votes cast, one name clearly emerged as the favourite, earning over 8,000 votes, and we’re thrilled to share the giraffe calf’s name is …
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Imara, which is Swahili for strong, firm, and resilient, was one of five names included in the voting contest. The names were chosen through a partnership with the Kenyan Honorary Consulate in Toronto, ensuring the translation was fitting for this majestic, endangered species.
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“There’s something deeply hopeful about what our community has chosen to name this calf” says Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo. “She stands for a symbol of strength, optimism and resilience not only for her endangered species but in a world eager to be reminded that hope still thrives.”
Imara made her public debut to Toronto Zoo guests on Friday, March 13th and quickly became a very cherished member of the Zoo family. The lineups to see her stretched through the Toronto Zoo’s Africa Savanna over March Break, and we are grateful to our guests who continue to respect this new addition by containing their joy and excitement and remaining calm and quiet in the giraffe house. This has been so helpful as she experiences crowds for the first time. Imara continues to bond with Mom, Mstari, nursing and getting the occasional case of the zoomies as she bounds around the habitat with her gangly long legs. Though she looks small in comparison to Mstari (who stands at approximately 15ft), Imara was a striking 6 ft4” when she was born and has already grown to just shy of 7ft in the last five weeks.
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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.
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.
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Pictured: Councillor Nick Mantas - Toronto Zoo Board Member (left) and Dolf DeJong - CEO Toronto Zoo (right)
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Celebrate Imara’s arrival by adopting her today! Your support helps the Zoo care for animals, offer educational experiences, and protect wildlife through vital conservation programs. By adopting Imara, you’re helping her thrive as she grows. Visit wildlifeconservancy.ca to learn more and be part of Imara’s journey from the very beginning.
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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).
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