Ellie shows off her baby giraffe

Giraffes are killed for food and for their long black tail hairs

Ellie the giraffe proudly showed off her new baby boy on Wednesday at the Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, in Beds.

It might be a newborn baby but it still measured 5ft 8ins tall when it was born on 9 October.

It is a reticulated giraffe which means it differs from other sub species in its markings.

This is the seventh calf to be born at Whipsnade, part of an international captive breeding programme set up to protect the species.

Cliff Tack, Head of Africa region said: "The birth of this calf is fantastic news for all of us here at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park.

"Carefully monitored captive breeding programmes like this one ensure that a viable captive population exists should poaching and habitat destruction push these amazing animals further towards extinction."

The calf's feet appeared first at birth, then the head, followed by the shoulders and rest of its body.

Ellie's labour was fairly long, but after two and a half hours, the young male emerged fit and healthy, fully equipped with huge brown eyes and 1960s-style eyelashes.

Carefully monitored captive breeding programmes like this one ensure that a viable captive population exists Cliff Tack, Head of Africa region

Bruno, the calf's father, came over from the Czech Republic last year, to ensure that genetic diversity within the Whipsnade group is maintained, just as it would be in the wild.

Reticulated giraffes are normally found in north-eastern Kenya, eastern Sudan and Eritrea.

While it is illegal to hunt giraffe in most African countries, poaching still occurs.