6 A tiny hoof takes a cautious step onto a patch of green grass. Juhudi, the youngest giraffe calf at the Detroit Zoo, puts one hoof in front of another, seeking his mother’s approval as he moves further into an open yard. At 7 feet tall, the 3-month-old male still has to crane his neck to meet his mother’s gaze, but once he sees she has no fear, it isn’t long before Juhudi is running, playing and exploring his new surroundings. Watching him take his first few steps into his outdoor habitat at the Detroit Zoo on a sunny August morning, one would never know the challenges the young calf faced early in life. In the hours after Juhudi’s May 31 birth to 5-yearold female Zara and 15-year-old male Jabari, the calf had difficulty nursing, requiring round-theclock care, staff intervention and tube feeding. “He had a rough start, but with a lot of hard work, he made it through,” says Betsie Meister, associate curator of mammals. “We are so glad this story had a happy ending.” On the day of the birth, Zara had an easy delivery, and Juhudi appeared strong and healthy. However, the newborn was slightly underweight and had difficulty finding the right spot to latch, attempting to nurse from Zara’s legs and shoulders. When he eventually found Zara’s udders, the act of nursing appeared to make Zara uncomfortable, and staff observed her pulling away from her calf or pushing him from her when he attempted to nurse. As a result, the calf did not receive colostrum — the first milk from his mother containing needed proteins to fight infection — during his first 12 hours of life. “Juhudi was definitely trying to nurse, but we weren’t seeing any signs that he was successful,” says Stephanie Ramusivich, mammal care staff. “Without that, he is susceptible to infections, dust, dirt, anything really.” “Colostrum is how antibodies transfer from mom to baby and how they get their immune systems going,” Meister says. “Babies are basically naked and unprotected without that first nursing session. Juhudi looked a little soft, a little small, and we weren’t confident he was receiving colostrum, so we decided to step in and catch him up.” At this point, the animal care and veterinary teams intervened, providing 24/7 observation and care to Zara and her calf in their indoor habitat. Staff spent long days and nights near the two, doing everything possible to ensure a good outcome for Zara and Juhudi. “We were all very nervous and scared for Juhudi
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