Sunny weather and temperatures higher than 60 degrees by noon were enough to make a lot of Fort Wayne's creatures feel a little frisky Monday.

Even one with large tan spots, a very long tongue and big, soulful eyes.

Thabisa, the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo's youngest giraffe, was being led from the zoo's barn for her first day in the giraffe exhibit in the African Journey area when she found a way out shortly after 11 a.m.

The 7-month-old animal galloped about a nonpublic parking lot until being coaxed back into the barn she shares with the zoo's other giraffes by 2 p.m.

“She's just a curious little girl and wanted to see what it was all about,” said Sarah Dove, zoo spokeswoman.

Although how Thabisa got out is still being investigated, it appears she somehow got through a gap in electrified cables, said Bonnie Kemp, director of communication for the zoo.

“We've had giraffes here since '76 and we've never had one do this, let alone on a first day,” Kemp said.

Zoo caretakers blocked the animal's line of sight and used tarps to urge her in the direction they wanted her to go, Dove said. The animal never left zoo property or reached public areas, and no zoo visitors were evacuated, she said.

However, Fort Wayne police were called in the event “crowd control” was needed, she said.

Thabisa has no record of escapes, Dove said.

Born in November to first-time mom, Faye, and a longtime zoo male favorite, Jelani,

Thabisa is one of two baby giraffes the zoo will have on exhibit this year. The other is Kita, a female, born in August.

The zoo's herd now consists of nine giraffes – seven females and two males.

Although Thabisa stands about 7 feet tall, she is still not fully grown – a status giraffes don't reach until about a year old, Dove said.

The giraffe weighed about 135 pounds when born.

At that time, zoo officials said it was going to be entertaining to see the two youngsters frolicking together this season in their 3-acre exhibit, which has trees, hills and meadow.

Apparently, Thabisa, whose name means “to bring joy” in Swahili, took that idea and, well, ran with it.

“She's back in her exhibit now,” Dove said shortly before 2:30 p.m. Monday. “They just had to keep her calm so she wouldn't get stressed out.

“She went back in in her own time.”

rsalter@jg.net