A 2-year-old giraffe jumps for joy as warm weather and sunshine arrives at the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois.
An Illinois zoo giraffe is captured on camera jumping for joy in celebration of an early spring.
Zookeepers at the Brookfield Zoo do not normally let giraffes out of their indoor habitat until later on in the season, but as spring arrived in Illinois early this year, visitors were able to watch as giraffes stretched their legs in their outdoor enclosure.
Potoka, 2, can be seen prancing around as temperatures soar to almost 70°F, an unseasonable high for the area. While other members in his herd were more composed, Arnieta, 10, Jasiri, 11, and Mithra, 26, can also be seen enjoying the sunshine and saying goodbye to the frigid winter months.
In a press statement, the Chicago Zoological Society stated zookeepers often wait until temperatures reach 45-50°F before they let the giraffes into their outdoor habitat, which does not usually occur at the Brookfield Zoo until late April or early May.
Read: Two Adorable Baby Pandas Unveiled at Toronto Zoo, Get Cuddled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
The giraffes are native to Eastern Kenya, where temperatures remain between 80-100°F year round.
Watch: World's Smallest Species of Monkey Gives Birth To Two Tiny Babies
