Whipsnade Zoo has welcomed a second endangered reticulated bird calf, just weeks after the arrival of another calf.
The male calf ‘is an important addition to the Bedfordshire zoo’s conservation breeding programme’.
He was born on Monday, July 15, to mother Luna and father Bashu, just three weeks after fellow mother Ijuma got a female.
Luna endured a “difficult” eight-hour labor before giving birth to her calf at 1am.
According to the zoo, the newborn was up and exploring its new home within a few hours, but had to be “closely monitored” by keepers and veterinarians because its right front hoof appeared to be hyperextended, meaning it occasionally bent the wrong way when it walked.
Whipsnade Zoo has welcomed a second endangered reticulated calf (above – and already 6ft tall) just a few weeks after the arrival of another
The two calves above are pictured exploring their paddock
The male calf was born to mother Luna and father Bashu on Monday 15th July, just three weeks after fellow mother Ijuma had a female. The calf is pictured above with Luna
Mark Holden, Head of Large Hoofed Animals at Whipsnade Zoo, said: ‘We are very excited to welcome a second giraffe calf to Whipsnade Zoo. There have not been two giraffe calves born at the same time here in over 30 years.
‘Luna is taking very good care of her new addition and keeps a close eye on him all the time. But right now he needs a little more attention from us and the vets.
‘He’s about six feet tall now, he’s a big boy. He can stand and walk, which means he can comfortably nurse from mum, but we need to make sure his front leg can support his full weight as he grows.
“We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new calf over the next few days to see how his hoof is doing, but it seems to be improving. Today we saw him galloping through the paddock for the first time, next to his new sister.”
Mark Holden, head of the large ungulate team at Whipsnade Zoo, said: ‘We haven’t had two giraffe calves born at the same time here for over 30 years’
With the birth of the new cubs, Whipsnade Zoo’s giraffe herd now consists of six.
The zoo describes the calf’s arrival as a “welcome boost to the international breeding programme (EEP) for reticulated giraffes”, which are threatened by illegal hunting, habitat destruction and conflict with humans in unstable parts of Africa.
Visitors can book a ticket to see the herd of giraffes, along with 10,000 other animals, on the zoo’s website: www.zsl.org/Whipsnade.
