Naming 2 baby giraffes is a tall order for a Berlin zoo

Naming two baby giraffes turned out to be a tall order this summer for a Berlin zoo. After the half-siblings were born on June 24 and Aug. 11 in the Tierpark, one of the city’s two zoos, officials turned to a school class and the 18-year-old daughter of the zoo director for inspiration. The class shared the name of its mascot, a giraffe named Gisbert, which was shortened to “Berti” for the new bull. And the zoo director's teen daughter, Emily, is about 1.80 meter (5.91 feet) tall — roughly the same height as a newborn giraffe — so the female cub now shares her name. The names were officially announced Thursday.