Birth Of Giraffe Puts Spotlight On Greenwich Sanctuary

GREENWICH/STAMFORD, Conn. -- The birth of a rare female Rothschild giraffe at the LEO Zoological Conservation Center has put a spotlight on the private preserve and breeding ground for wild animals in Greenwich and Stamford, including a report published by the New York Times.

The baby giraffe was born in March at the LEO Zoological Conservation Center in Greenwich.
Photo Credit: *LEO Zoological Conservation Center*

by The Daily Voice

03/31/2013 5:00 p.m.

Marcella Leone, who established the preserve as a nonprofit organization in 2009, said she has embraced the publicity after the giraffe's birth earlier this month because it enhances her cause of saving endangered animals and their habitats: “The most important thing that we can hope to inspire and engage people to do is to worry about our natural places.”

The publicity will continue at 7:45 a.m. Monday when the baby giraffe's name is announced on “Today.” But if you want to see the giraffe in person, you are probably out of luck. The sanctuary is largely closed to the public. Visits are limited to big donors, educational programs and charitable organizations. The cheapest excursions are safaris costing $500 a person, with a minimum of $2,500 for one safari. A family membership, which allows monthly visits, requires a donation of $10,000 or more.

Read more about the birth of the giraffe at The Daily Voice website.

Read more about the sanctuary at the New York Times website.

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