PHOENIX — The Phoenix Zoo announced the name of its new female Masai giraffe on Tuesday.

“Kasi,” which means “speed” in Swahili, was born on Nov. 16, and the public helped pick her name by way of an online vote.

More than 11,000 votes were cast, and Kasi’s margin of victory was by nearly 30% of the votes, according to the Phoenix Zoo.

The voting was open for one week, and the public had five names to choose from:

  • Cyra, which means “sun” in Persian/Greek
  • Tesni, which means “warmth from the sun” in Welsh
  • Binti, which means “daughter” in Swahili
  • Kasi, which means “speed” in Swahili
  • Ray, as in a ray of sunshine

The Masai giraffe calf was born via the Species Survival Program, which paired her mother, a 12‑year‑old giraffe named Sunshine, with a 16‑year‑old male named Miguu.

Kasi was Sunshine’s fifth calf born at the Phoenix Zoo.

Zoo officials said the baby giraffe has been zooming around her mother, and is “quick on her hooves” and “full of personality.”

The public is expected to have the opportunity to see Kasi for the first time in the zoo’s Savanna habitat in January, as the giraffe is currently spending time with her mother in the giraffe barn behind the scenes, zoo officials said.

The Phoenix Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Jan. 18, when its closing time moves to 5 p.m. The zoo is located at 455 N. Galvin Parkway in Papago Park.

In addition to the zoo’s regular hours, ZooLights runs nightly through Jan. 16.

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