By Kim Rahn
A female giraffe at Everland zoo gave birth to her 17th baby last month, tying the record for the largest number of calves.
The 26-year-old giraffe, Jangsun, delivered a newborn male on Jan. 12, according to the zoo. She has had 17 calves, including twins, since 1990.
The number ties with that of Lamba, a giraffe that lived in Paris Zoo in France from 1982 to 2005. Lamba is dead, but Jangsun is still healthy, so she may break the record in the future, zoo staff said.
“Jangsun, 26, is at an advanced age considering the average life span of giraffes is 25 to 30 years. But her physical condition is good. It is rare for a giraffe, a sensitive, herbivorous animal, to have that many offspring. We believe she has been offered a good environment and nutrition,” zoo director Heo Gwang-seok said.
The zoo informed the International Species Information System (ISIS) of the feat through an email. “The ISIS official in charge of giraffe information worldwide recently replied, saying the 17th birth is surprising and they congratulated us. Jangsun’s case will be recorded officially in the ISIS’s 2012 information book to be published next year,” Heo said.
They named the calf “Heungnyong,” meaning black dragon, as he was born in the Year of the Dragon. The newborn will make his public debut in March next year when the zoo opens a new safari park.
In the meantime, one of Jangsun’s twin daughters, Changjo, gave birth to her eighth calf on Jan. 25.
“Giraffes here have many calves because they are provided with good nutrition and exercise as well as having a good community, with six males and eight females living together,” Heo said.