An Adorable Giraffe Was Just Born at a California Zoo — See the Photos
According to the zoo both mom and baby are doing well.
A baby giraffe was born at a zoo in California this week, delighting the internet with adorable photos of the days-old calf.
The baby girl was born at 12:28 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the Sacramento Zoo, just days after zookeepers confirmed her mom, Shani, was about to pop, according to the zoo.
“Her zookeepers noted signs of an impending birth on January 18, and Shani was moved into the maternity stall of the giraffe barn to be monitored,” the zoo wrote in an Instagram post. “Although animal care and veterinary teams were suspicious that she might still be pregnant, just not on her original timeline, there were no definitive signs until very recently.”
Courtesy of Sacramento Zoo
Now, mom and baby are both healthy and the calf is nursing well. The pair are being given time to bond as a new family, but the zoo said they “may be visible at their habitat’s side yard periodically over the next few weeks.”
The internet responded to the news (and adorable photos) with several thousand likes.
Giraffes, which are the world’s tallest living land animals, are considered vulnerable with several subspecies listed as endangered or critically endangered, according to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. They can live to about 25 years old in the wild.
Courtesy of Sacramento Zoo
This baby giraffe isn’t the first birth to charm the internet with baby photos. Last year, several animals were born at zoos around the country, including a baby hippo in Dallas, a rare baby Francois langur monkey in Ohio, baby otter triplets in Massachusetts, a spotted fanaloka in Nashville (the first of its kind born in the United States), and a Tamandua in Rhode Island.
Travelers who want to get up close with a giraffe can visit places like the Philadelphia Zoo, which hosts interactive experiences, allowing visitors to feed the majestic animals and see their playfulness up close.
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