Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Address: 1 Franklin Park Road
Date: Sept 2013
Website: www.zoonewengland.org/franklin-park-zoo
Beau, the Masai giraffe, towers above the visitors to Franklin Park Zoo. The zoo offered a chance to feed Beau and we were excited to take part. Due to some signage issues, we missed the morning feeding but the staff at the zoo was helpful and squeezed us into the afternoon feeding.
Beau the giraffe stands about 17 feet tall. He is about three feet taller than his mate Jana. The couple has a baby named Henrietta who was already 8 feet tall and rising.
Henrietta and Jana were in the yard with Beau, but Beau was the star of the show.
A special elevated platform had been built so that zoo visitors would be up at giraffe level for the feeding. Henrietta was too small to reach up to the platform and Jana just wasn't interested in us.
Beau was waiting for us as we walked around to the feeding tower. As we got up nice and close we realized that he has an enormous head. A giraffe head is about 2 feet long. That also happens to be about the same size as their heart.
Beau loved eating squash right out of our hands. A zebra shared the enclosure with the giraffe family. He looked like he would also be interested in a handful of squash. He hung around just in case Beau dropped anything. Sorry our little striped friend, but Beau easily got every last piece with his giant tongue. A giraffe tongue is about 21 inches long.
Beau also seemed to love sneaking up on people while they were posing for a photo with him. He would give a big puff from his nostrils right on the back of their neck. Giraffe are beautiful creatures and Beau had a great personality which endeared us to him right away. He truly was a gentle giant.
Map of Our World
Franklin Park Zoo (Giraffe Feeding)Post # 139