Costa Rican Zoo Marks Birth of First Giraffe in Central America
March 10th, 2009 | by admin |Roxi, a giraffe weighing 50 kilos and standing 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) tall, was born at Costa Rica’s Africa Mia animal park, becoming the first of her kind to be born in Central America, the press reported on Monday.
“This is a great success for Africa Mia because it’s the first time that such a delicate exotic species is born in Central America. It’s great news because everything worked out well,” the park’s veterinarian, Tania Pivovarova, told reporters.
Roxi, who was born on Sunday and is doing well, is the daughter of Adriana.
Park officials said Roxi could soon have company since another female giraffe, Amapola, is pregnant.
Roxi, an articulated giraffe from the African savanna of Kenya and Ethiopia, was named for Roxi Blen, the mother of Africa Mia owner Mario Sotela.
Africa Mia, which opened in 2005, is located in Liberia, a city in the Pacific coast province of Guanacaste, some 200 kilometers (124 miles) west of San Jose.
The park exhibits African wildlife, including zebras, giraffes, antelope, ostriches and warthogs, as well as local species, such as deer and monkeys.
