This baby is a fighter! Born prematurely just over a week ago at Zoo Brno, this Reticulated Giraffe calf came into the world frail and weak. Though it began to suckle from its mother, it was not able to feed very well. It is vitally important that a calf get enough colostrum through the milk right away to develop its immune system. But under the constant supervision of its keepers and zoo veterinarians, the baby has gotten stronger, and the zoo can report the calf is slowly growing.

So much so, that Mom Tosha and the baby stepped out into the yard to get a healthy dose of sunshine in rear garden within the Giraffe yard!

Photo Credit: ZooBrno

The Giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. Males can average 19 feet (5.8 m) tall and weigh between 2,400 and 4,250 pounds (1,089-1,920 kg). Females measure up to 17 feet (5.2 m) tall and weigh between 1,540 and 2,600 pounds (698-1,179 kg). Much of the height is due to their long neck, which can be 8 feet (2.5 m) in length and can weigh almost 500 pounds - yet it's made up of only 7 bones, the same number as we have in our own. The little horns or cones on the top of their heads are used for sparring between males. Giraffe spots are as unique to each animal as our finger prints are to us. 

See more pictures of the baby after the fold: