Animal park welcomes baby giraffe

Staff do not yet know the sex of the giraffe

A baby giraffe born at a wildlife park in North Yorkshire has been taking its first shaky steps.

Staff at Flamingo Land say the giraffe, who was born on Tuesday and is already 6ft (1.8m) tall, is making good progress and feeding well.

It is not yet known if the calf is male or female, as it is bonding with its mother, Zara, in a pen.

A webcam is being set up at the wildlife park so members of the public can see its newest addition.

The baby giraffe was born after a 15-month gestation period.

Zoo manager Ross Snipp said: "We spent the best part of nine hours watching mum give birth on Tuesday evening - it was a long time, but it was well worth the wait.

"The baby giraffe was about 6ft when it was born. It was very nerve wracking watching the process, but it was a wonderful thing to experience.

"We hope to be able to say within the next month if it is a girl or a boy.

"But at the moment our lips are tightly sealed."

Advertisement

The giraffe is said to be settling well into its new surroundings