PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

Longtime Detroit Zoo supporters Cynthia and Edsel Ford are sticking their necks out for the benefit of the giraffes at the Zoo with a $1 million gift which will pay for an expansion of the animals’ indoor habitat.

“There have been so many significant improvements made at the Zoo in recent years, and our family is happy for the opportunity to foster that growth,” said Cynthia Ford, who serves on the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) Board of Directors.

The Detroit Zoo is home to four reticulated giraffes, including 9-year-old male Jabari and 7-year-old female Kivuli. They are the parents of 2-year-old male Mpenzi and 4-month-old female Zawadi, both born at the Detroit Zoo.

“We have a special fondness for these graceful, elegant animals,” said Edsel Ford. “This growing family needs a larger home and we were drawn to the idea of creating an environment where they can all gather in one space.”

Renovations will double the giraffes’ interior space, including the addition of a large area for the entire herd to be together. The work is expected to be completed by late spring.

“Cynthia and Edsel Ford have been extraordinary supporters of the Detroit Zoo for many years and we are extremely grateful for this generous gift,” said DZS Executive Director and CEO Ron Kagan. “There is growing conservation concern with wild giraffe populations.”

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) just last week declared giraffes – the world’s tallest land mammal – officially in danger of extinction. Giraffe numbers have plummeted in the wild by more than 40 percent in recent decades, resulting in the species moving to the “Vulnerable” category on the IUCN Red List.