Baby giraffe born at Maryland Zoo
A baby giraffe was born at the Maryland Zoo early Thursday, but zookeepers say he is struggling to nurse.
The 143-pound, 6-foot-tall male calf — born hooves-first, like all giraffes — is being fed colostrum from cows, and veterinarians were optimistic Saturday that his natural nursing instinct will eventually take over.
“Although the birth went well and he was on his feet in only 20 minutes, the calf has not been actively nursing,” Erin Cantwell, mammal collection and conservation manager, said in a statement.
“We did note attempts to nurse, but his initial blood work indicated that he was not receiving the necessary antibodies to help protect him from disease or infection,” she said.
The unnamed calf and his mother, Kesi, will remain inside the giraffe house bonding for several days and will not be available for public view until a few days after his feeding improves.
Zoo spokeswoman Jane Ballentine said that if the calf doesn’t successfully learn to nurse, veterinarians can bottle-feed him through infancy.
The calf and mother are monitored by staff, including by video feed at night. The feed is not available to the public.
Meanwhile, zookeepers are debating names for the youngest member of the six-giraffe herd. He is the second reticulated giraffe calf born at the zoo in Baltimore this year. His half-sister, Willow, arrived in February.
He arrived days before the zoo’s “Wild about Giraffes” event planned for today. Ballentine said the event will go on with at least one giraffe — the baby’s father, Caesar — outside for public viewing on what is, coincidentally, Father’s Day.
Giraffes are pregnant for about 15 months and give birth standing up. Zookeepers were awake all night Wednesday into Thursday awaiting the calf’s arrival. The zoo announced the birth Saturday morning.
In addition to the two baby giraffes born this year, the Maryland Zoo also welcomed the hatching of 12 baby penguins and five trumpeter swan chicks.