Kid Territory: Critters: Silver Shines

Bai Yun Silver is the San Diego Zoo’s adult male giraffe and proud of it!

Bai Yun with food puzzle One of Silver’s favorite pastimes is letting Zoo visitors offer him leaf eater biscuits during special giraffe feeding times.

Bai Yun with new born Mei Sheng Silver is trained to stand in a restraint chute so his keepers can safely trim his hooves.

Zoo name: Silver
Species: Masai giraffe
Location: San Diego Zoo

His story

Silver was born on May 16, 1993, at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. However, he was not always named Silver. On the day that he was born there was a very strong storm so he was originally named Stormy. When Stormy came to the San Diego Zoo, the giraffe keepers took some time to get to know him and decided that the name Stormy did not fit his personality. A keeper chose to rename him Silver, saying the giraffe had a great temperment and a silver aura about him. Silver is now our largest giraffe, weighing about 2,400 pounds (1,090 kilograms) and close to 17 feet (5.2 meters) tall. He is the Zoo’s only breeding male and has fathered seven calves so far. Silver is a favorite with Zoo guests and animal keepers.

Leader of the pack

Silver lives with several other giraffes at the Zoo, including adult females and two of his male offspring. He has a great personality, especially for a male breeding giraffe. Adult males usually cause some trouble, but Silver is an easy-going guy. He is especially careful around babies and young giraffes. Giraffes tend to be very cautious animals so the rest of the herd looks to Silver for assurance. If the girls are not sure about coming out of the giraffe barn in the morning, they will always follow Silver out.

Handsome and smart

Silver can do more than stand around and look good. He is trained to do several things that help the keepers and veterinarians care for him. Silver is good about moving in and out of the barn that the giraffes sleep in. He is also trained to move into a giraffe restraint chute on a regular basis. The chute is a giraffe-sized box with 10 doors around it. This allows the keepers to examine or care for certain areas of the giraffe’s body. While in the chute, Silver stands on a scale for his weigh-in and allows keepers to do footwork. They can even take X rays, if needed. Silver is very good during training sessions and likes to be a part of them so he can get more of the leaf eater biscuits that he loves.

Food on the brain

Silver spends most of his day eating, just like wild giraffes. At the San Diego Zoo, the giraffe keepers feed them throughout the day so the giraffes can practice this natural behavior. Silver enjoys the acacia branches that the giraffes are fed as part of their diet but he also prunes back the trees around the exhibit. He especially likes the fig trees and will check each day to see if any new leaves have grown close to his reach, then he uses his long tongue to get every last one! Silver is usually the first one to come over for a special feeding from Zoo guests. When behind-the-scenes tours come to visit, Silver is usually waiting by the feeding gate before the food is even ready. He can be a vigorous eater and very strong, so people have to hold on tight to the branches offered so he cannot pull them out of their hands. Silver also waits for the giraffe feedings in front of the exhibit. About an hour or so before the feeding time he starts to hang out by the feeding area. On weekends, Zoo guests can also feed the giraffes leaf eater biscuits. He is usually in the center, surrounded by Abby and Nikki. Silver tends to get most of the food because his neck can reach out farther than the females’ necks!

Where can you see him

Silver and his herd live at the San Diego Zoo.