Roxi, a giraffe weighing 50 kilograms and standing 1.5 meters tall, was born at Costa Rica´s Africa Mia animal park, becoming the first of her kind to be born in Central America, the press reported Monday.
“This is a great success for Africa Mia because it´s the first time that such a delicate, exotic species is born in Central America. It´s great news because everything worked out well,” the park´s veterinarian, Tania Pivovarova, told reporters.
Roxi was born on Sunday and is doing well. She is the daughter of Adriana, of the reticulated giraffe subspecies found in the African savanna of Kenya and Ethiopia that can grow to be six meters tall and weigh up to 1,400 km.
Roxi was named for Roxi Blen, the mother of Africa Mía owner Mario Sotela.
Park officials said Roxi could soon have company since another female giraffe, Amapola, is pregnant.
Africa Mia, which opened in 2005, is located in Liberia, a city in the Pacific province of Guanacaste, some 200 km northwest of San José.
The park exhibits African wildlife, including zebras, giraffes, antelope, ostriches and warthogs, as well as local species, such as deer and monkeys.
