WACO, Texas — Marla Jaynes and her family came to Cameron Zoo to see the new giraffe, Eleanor.
She’s the new 3-year-old Masai giraffe who came to Waco from San Diego by a specialized trailer designed for large animals.
Jaynes told 25 News' Lauren Adams thar the giraffe exhibit is her grandson’s favorite.
Right now, Eleanor has to be quarantined with the other two giraffes before she can go outside.
In a few years, staffers told us Eleanor will be mating a the 10-year-old male giraffe at the zoo.
“We’re hoping they make that love connection. She’s 3 and he’s 10 so it may take a couple years to get going and our plan is to make a breeding pair," Zoo Director Brendan Wiley said.
Eleanor weighs 1,200 pounds and stands at about 12 to 13 feet tall.
After the recent deaths of the two Cameron Park Zoo giraffes, it was important to the zookeepers to bring in another female.
That’s something Marla Jaynes and her grandson are excited about.
“We’re just excited to see animals and see them out in nature," Jaynes said.
Eleanor is currently in quarantine, but zoogoers can still see her through a window.
It’s still undetermined when she’ll be let outside.
