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Wildlife Safari welcomes new giraffe

Wildlife Safari's giraffe Jact meets the newly arrive Watson.
Wildlife Safari
Wildlife Safari's giraffe Jact meets the newly arrived Watson.

There is a new giraffe at Wildlife Safari in Winston.

The two-year-old, named Watson, recently arrived from Fort Worth, Texas. He's being slowly introduced to the rest of the herd at Wildlife Safari: Konza, Jact, Raza, and Margie.

As Watson continues to acclimate to his new surroundings, guests will soon have the opportunity to see him interacting with his fellow giraffes.

Watson, the new giraffe at Wildlife Safari.
Wildlife Safari
Watson, the new giraffe at Wildlife Safari.

Liv Nicks-Turnley, Wildlife Safari’s primary giraffe trainer, said in a news release that Watson is settling in nicely.

"He's becoming more and more curious by the day, and introductions between him and the rest of the tower have been nice and smooth,” Nicks-Turnley said. “He loves his lettuce and is doing fabulous during his training sessions. Watson is definitely our smallest giraffe now, but big in our hearts!"

Watson is still acclimating to his new surroundings, but guests will soon be able to see him as part of the tour.

Wildlife Safari said the addition of Watson helps it continue its mission to inspire awareness and educate the public.

Giraffes are the tallest land animals on Earth, yet their populations are declining in the wild due to habitat loss and poaching.

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.