Adorable new video of Toronto Zoo's baby giraffe provides a much-needed escape

The baby giraffe born at the Toronto Zoo last month now has a name and new video that is melting hearts all over again.

Masai giraffe Mstari gave birth to the baby on Feb. 24 following a 15-month-pregnancy. The birth and first photos of the long-legged baby offered some much-needed relief in a horrible news cycle.

Now the baby has a name, Matumaini, which means Hope in Swahili. The Masai giraffe is an endangered species native to sub-Saharan Africa.

The new video, titled Little Long Legs Has A Name – Meet Matumaini, shows Matumaini running gleefully in the enclosure.

"A reminder for us of a world also filled with joy," the zoo writes. "We need hope."

The video ends with the Toronto Zoo stating they stand with Ukraine.

The Giraffe House was closed to the public to allow Matumaini time to get comfortable in the space.

Watch #LittleLongLegs LIVE on Zoolife: https://t.co/m1jYVMRxuj. Want camera control and access to even more animal habitats? Join Zoolife here where 80% of proceeds support animal care and conservation efforts at #YourTorontoZoo: https://t.co/9SJrzygazk 🌱 pic.twitter.com/0YbDDL5gMY

— The Toronto Zoo (@TheTorontoZoo) March 7, 2022

"When he is ready to make his public debut we will make an announcement here on social media," the Toronto Zoo said.

The knobbly-kneed giraffe has also been spotted on the Zoo Life TV with a short clip shared on Reddit this week. The baby is standing with her front legs wide in a kind of tripod position while munching on a snack.

There is even more footage on another recent video shared on the zoo's YouTube channel.

Here you can watch over six minutes of Matumaini eating, staying close to its parents, and exploring the enclosure.

Live footage of Matumaini streamed is also on Zoolife TV. There is a fee to watch but 80 per cent of proceeds support animal care and conservation efforts.

The Masai giraffe population has fallen by nearly 50 per cent in the last 30 years due to poaching and changes in land use, according to National Geographic.