Elliot and Kura debut at Seneca Park Zoo

Visitors to the Seneca Park Zoo are getting their first look at a pair of sculptural newcomers.

Two Masai giraffes, a one-year-old male and a three-year-old female, arrived this week from the San Diego Zoo. They join Iggy, JD and Olmsted at the Animals of the Savanna exhibit.

“They’re getting used to the rest of the tower, they’re all checking each other out, smelling each other. They’re getting used to the habitat,” said the zoo’s general curator, David Hamilton.

Elliot and Kura were brought to Rochester as part of a breeding program for this endangered species. The global Maasai giraffe population has declined by 50% over the past 30 years, mainly due to habitat loss and poaching.

Seneca Park has lost three giraffes in less than two years. In February, a calf named PJ died of encephalitis. Then, in July, PJ’s mother, Kipenzie, died of cancer. In February 2023, PJ’s father, Parker, also died after he became entangled in a support structure.

“When some things like that happen, then it seems bigger,” Hamilton said. “But overall, the giraffe population is doing well.”

Animal activist organizations such as PETA believe that giraffes should not be housed in zoos, arguing that captive animals do not behave naturally and therefore do not teach people about wildlife behavior .

According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the average life expectancy of giraffes in human care is about 16 years. The mortality rate for newborn giraffes in zoos is 25% compared to 50% for giraffe calves in the wild.

The Seneca Park Zoo says its Animals of the Savanna barn may be closed periodically as the new giraffes settle in. Hamilton said their darker coats set them apart from the rest of the herd.

“Our vets are checking them and keeping a close eye on them, as well as the gate staff who do a great job of being able to notice every little thing that could be going on with them,” Hamilton said.