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SALT LAKE CITY — Pogo the giraffe licked her baby, Georgetta, the newest addition to Utah's Hogle Zoo, in Salt Lake City on Friday.
When she was born at 3:33 a.m. Monday, Georgetta weighed 150 pounds, but as of Thursday she weighed in at 163 pounds and was 5 feet, 9 inches tall.
According to officials at the zoo, Georgetta, named by a generous donor, stood within 20 minutes of being born and her 16-year-old mother began cleaning her immediately.
Though male giraffes do not participate in rearing their offspring, Georgetta's father, 15 year-old Riley, also showed interest when he saw her in the winter yard.
"He came right over to the chute and wanted to know what was happening," lead keeper Melissa Farr said.
There have been 18 successful giraffe births at the zoo since 1969.