Giraffe calf born

Auckland Zoo has a new baby giraffe.

The male calf, born last Friday, is 1.8-metres tall and weighs a healthy 55 kilograms. He is the zoo's 29th giraffe calf and the third offspring from 9-year-old mum Rukiya and 11-year-old Zabulu.

Rukiya and the leggy newcomer are in good health, but Auckland Zoo Pridelands team leader Nat Sullivan is keeping a close watch.

"Rukiya and the calf seem to be doing well, but the three-hour labour was a little bit longer than normal, so she's going to be pretty tired," she says.

"We're going to give her and her calf some time to bond in private like they would in the wild."

Visitors can see mother and baby in a few weeks at Pridelands, but the calf will eventually be sent to another Australasian zoo as part of the breeding programme.

Auckland Zoo will be getting another female giraffe soon, from Adelaide's Monarto Zoo in Australia.

Visit aucklandzoo.co.nz for more details.

- © Fairfax NZ News