The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden will livestream an animal birth for the first time in its history, the zoo announced at a press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Viewers around the world will be able to watch the Cincinnati Zoo's giraffe Tessa give birth, said zoo director Dave Jenike.
The announcement builds on the zoo's previous groundbreaking history sharing births. The Cincinnati Zoo became the first zoo to live-tweet a giraffe birth in 2012. In 1889, the zoo also became home to the first giraffe born in a zoo. Other zoos have livestreamed animal births before, but it's uncommon, Jenike said.
The Cincinnati Zoo chose to livestream Tessa giving birth with the hope of inspiring the public to connect with the animals at the Cincinnati Zoo and
the giraffes in the wild.
"To invite people into something that you will seldom see anywhere in the world, to make that connection with an animal like Tessa, ... our hope is that will make that connection that will inspire people to care," said Jenike.
Tessa, who is due in October, could give birth at any moment. The calf will be the 20-year-old mother's fifth and likely her last, Jenike said.
After the calf is born, the zoo will launch an opportunity for members of the public to "adopt" the giraffe. Those who make this donation will receive a chance to name the calf. Donations will support giraffe care and the zoo's giraffe conservation efforts.
The zoo will share birth announcements, updates and the special "adopt" naming opportunity on its social channels.
The zoo is livestreaming both the indoor and outdoor giraffe habitats. To watch the indoor habitat, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh4XNA0Ea9A. To watch the outdoor habitat, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi9fTj0fmUw. To identify Tessa, look for her extended belly as well as a pattern on her chest that looks like pie pieces fitting together to make a circle.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Zoo will livestream animal birth for the first time ever
