OHIO NOTEBOOK | Giraffe calf born at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed a male giraffe calf born Sunday, August 6, 2017, weighing approximately 160 pounds and standing over 6 feet tall. This is the 48th calf born at the Zoo.

Both baby and mom, Jhasmin, are doing well. This is her second calf; her first calf, Adia, resides at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

In order to stimulate the mother-calf bond, Jhasmin and the calf will be off exhibit for a period of time. The veterinary team will monitor the health of the calf and the development of the bond to determine when guests can meet them.

"With the addition of this new calf, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is now home to five Masai Giraffe," said Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Executive Director Christopher Kuhar, PhD. "We invite guests to hand-feed giraffes at the Ben Gogolick Giraffe Encounter and learn how to take action to secure a future for their counterparts in the wild."

The current giraffe population globally is estimated to be less than 80,000. Surprisingly, their numbers are declining across Africa - the population has decreased by nearly 40% in the last 15 years.

MINI REVIEW: "Dunkirk" is a superior film

“Dunkirk” is a superior film, for the most part. I did have a hard time accepting its lack of character development and surprisingly short running time (kind of hard to create an environment of utter despair when the film is rushing toward a conclusion one way or another), but I can see where those issues might not bother people. I don’t think EW.com should have declared this the best movie of the year so far in a headline like it’s an objective truth, but I also don’t fault Chris Nashawaty for having that opinion. The film is certainly a welcome break from the comic book movies and other franchise pieces that have dominated the release calendar this year. By all means see it for yourself and decide whether or not it deserves to be called the best. (Robert R. Garver)

MINI REVIEW: "Dark Tower" not worth it

“The Dark Tower” isn’t the worst movie I’ve seen all year. Idris Elba gives an earnest performance as always, and it’s fun to watch Matthew McConaughey chew the scenery. But there’s nothing special about this movie other than its especially poor storytelling. Fans of the books are sure to be outraged that so much is abridged, and I seriously doubt that any new fans are going to won over with this hacky adaptation. (Robert R. Garver)