Be patient. Be still.
Those are the words of wisdom from Kansas City Zoo leaders to visitors eager to take part in the latest interactive exhibit: feeding the giraffes.
The zoo announced this week that visitors to the Giraffe Crossing exhibit, which opened in May, can now feed the zoo’s tallest inhabitants large pieces of lettuce everyday, at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. The feedings cost $5 per person.
“Waving the leaves around isn't going to help,” advised Kansas City Zoo CEO Sean Putney. “Put them out there, let them see it, let them get used to you, and they'll come over and eventually eat it from you.”
Giraffes are herbivores, and normally munch on grass and leaves from trees in nature. Putney said it took time to prepare the zoo’s seven Masai giraffes for snacks coming from people who are not zookeepers.
The Masai species, which is characterized by the jagged lines of its dark spots, is the largest of the giraffes and the tallest land animal. They are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and are considered intelligent animals.
“Nothing happens overnight with giraffes,” Putney said. “They are very cautious animals, and so you have to train them to do things.”
Zoo staff took on that training for about a year and a half, Putney said, far before the giraffes were introduced to the public. There are currently seven giraffes, the oldest being 7 years old. Some younger giraffes are not yet tall enough to reach the indoor feeding deck.
A chilly Friday morning in October was another training opportunity for the giraffes: It was their first time staying inside all day.
Putney added that the new exhibit, which includes outdoor and indoor areas, will allow guests to see the giraffes all year long.
“This is a great place to get away,” he said. “It's going to be warm in here. You can come to the zoo and duck out of the cold for a few minutes and have a great experience with the giraffe.”
Building the Giraffe Crossing exhibit cost $22 million and took about 14 months to construct. It’s the latest upgrade in the zoo’s 30-year-old Africa section, and marks the first time giraffes can access indoor and outdoor space year-round. The exhibit also includes restrooms and a cafe.
Putney said he hopes the opportunity for families to feed the giraffes will make a trip to the zoo that much more delightful.
“And hopefully, when kids of all ages have more fun, then they care about the animals that they're seeing and interacting with, and want to protect them and conserve them,” he said.
