Photo: Courtesy Chester Zoo
The Chester Zoo has a new shining star.
On March 3, 13-year-old Rothschild’s giraffe Orla gave birth to her sixth calf, a male giraffe who has yet to be named. The new arrival is the tenth calf dad Meru, 10, has sired at the zoo.
“Giraffes give birth standing up, and so their young receive quite a welcome to the world, dropping around six feet to the ground. Although this seems like a long way, the fall actually breaks the umbilical cord and helps to stimulate the calf’s first breath — it’s a dramatic entry, but it’s just how they do it!” Sarah Roffe, the English zoo’s giraffe team manager, said in a statement about the eventful birth.
“The new calf has arrived at the end of a 15-month pregnancy for mum Orla, and already he stands at 6ft — he could grow to be up to 18ft tall. Orla, an experienced mother, has slipped back into the role like a natural. She’s doing everything right, and it’s lovely to see the close bond between the two of them,” Roffe added.
Courtesy Chester Zoo
The calf’s arrival is exciting news for the Chester Zoo, which works to conserve this species. According to a zoo release, Rothschild’s giraffes are highly threatened in the wild and have suffered a 50 percent decline in recent decades.
“This latest arrival joins a group of eight Rothschild’s giraffes at the zoo and it’s always an exciting time for the herd when a new calf arrives. Two of the older females, Dagmar and Tula, appear to have taken on the role of protective aunties, helping Orla to watch out for the newborn. The other youngsters in the group love running around together and so, as soon as the calf starts to increase in confidence and venture outside, I’m sure they’ll enjoy having a new playmate around,” Roffe said of the new calf’s role in the group.
source: people.com
