As of January 31 a new baby giraffe joined the herd at Marwelle Wildlife in the UK! Keepers cannot confirm whether the calf is a boy or a girl but a closer examination will take place in the next few days. This is the first baby for mom Ursula. She went into labor with all the other giraffes around her. Everything went well as the feet made their appearance, which is the typical way giraffes are born. The hooves come out striaght like Superman's arms, and then the long neck and finally the body.The final drop into the hay is not as far because so much of the baby is out and half-way to the floor in the process. 

The other giraffes gathered around while Ursula went through the motions and after the calf was given it's first clean up by Mom, the herd gather round to meet the new arrival. 

The baby, which is a Rothschild’s giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), is part of a European Breeding Program. Currently the species is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Giraffes face many threats in the wild including habitat loss and poaching for meat and hides. It is thought there may be only a few hundred individuals left in the wild.

Photo Credit: Marwell Wildlife