A giraffe baby was born at Dickerson Zoo

At Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri, on May 19 at 11:40 a.m. local time, a baby giraffe was born. The mother of the calf, whose sex has not yet been established, was a 21-year-old female named Gidget.





These wonderful photos were taken just an hour after the baby was born. According to the staff, Gidget is an experienced mother, as this giraffe became her 12th calf. The appearance of the calf could be observed by both the zoo staff and its visitors.

The baby is quite healthy and active, which gives hope for his cloudless future. In the near future, the baby will be selected a suitable name, notes the website Dickerson Park Zoo. New photos of the giraffe and its mother will appear on the zoo’s Facebook page.



Gidget was born at the San Diego Zoo in August 1992, and she arrived at Dickerson Zoo in the fall of 1993. His father, Peperuka, was taken to Dickerson Zoo in 2011. This child became his fifth offspring.



The South African giraffe (G. c. giraffa) is a subspecies of giraffe that lives in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Populations north of the Sahara were extirpated by man in ancient times - in ancient Egypt. The largest populations of this animal are found mainly in nature reserves and national parks.



Giraffes are exclusively herbivorous animals. Their structure and physiology allow them to feed on the foliage of tree crowns - at an altitude where they have no competitors. The most favorite food is acacia leaves. Lips and tongue are arranged in such a way that the thorny branch of the plant is not injured. Every day giraffes eat about 30 kilograms of food, and for food spend from 16 to 20 hours a day.



Males prefer to eat leaves located very high, and females feed on foliage growing at their body level. The need for liquids is compensated mainly due to juicy food, so giraffes can do without water for several weeks, which allows them to survive in the dry period.

Source: zoopicture.ru