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Arts and Entertainment

Photos, Video: L.A. Zoo Welcomes Adorable Baby Otter Pups And Giraffe

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The L.A. Zoo has a few new baby residents: three giant otter pups and one baby giraffe.

The two female and one male otter pups were born on September 14, according to a release from the Zoo, and have just begun learning to swim in their new habitat with their parents. Previously, the parents taught their babies how to swim in a smaller pool outside of the exhibit. These are the first pups to be seen by the public since the Rainforest of the Americas exhibit opened in April.

The baby giraffe goes by the name of Leo. He was named after the father of Patricia Silver, a local woman who, with her husband Stanley, donated to the Zoo and 'adopted' the giraffe. He is a Masai giraffe calf and was born on November 20 to Hasina, 6, and Artemus, 18. Though just a baby, he's already six feet tall and 150 pounds.

All the new babies can be seen in her exhibits, weather permitting. There is a chance that the otters' parents may choose to take them inside, so below is a video of them splashing around.

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Video via City News Service

At night, the Zoo is particularly festive. After a five-year hiatus, Griffith Park's annual holiday lights have returned and are up in their new location at the L.A. Zoo.

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. 323-644-4200. Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $19 for adult, $14 for children ages 2 to 12.

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