O nascimento de uma girafa rara de bebê foi capturado na câmera no zoológico de Chester. O bezerro masculino jovem entrou no mundo, assim como seus primeiros passos balançados e seu precioso primeiro sugando. Receba bastante bem-vindo ao mundo, caindo cerca de um metro e oitenta no chão. Orla, uma mãe experiente, voltou ao papel como um natural. Ela está fazendo tudo certo, e é adorável ver o vínculo estreito entre os dois. Os jovens do grupo adoram correr juntos e, assim, assim que o bezerro começa a aumentar a confiança e se aventurar lá fora, tenho certeza de que eles gostarão de ter um novo companheiro de brincadeira por perto. ”
The leggy new arrival – a rare Rothschild’s giraffe – was born to mum Orla at 3am on 3 March 2021, landing onto soft straw from a height of around 2m (6.5ft).
Incredible CCTV footage captured the special moment the young male calf entered the world, as well as his wobbly first steps and his precious first suckle.
Already standing at 6ft tall and weighing 70kg, giraffe experts say he will grow to be 18ft and weigh over 1000kg.
Sarah Roffe, Giraffe Team Manager at the zoo, said:
“Giraffes give birth standing up and so their young receive quite a welcome to the world, dropping around six feet to the ground. Although this seems like a long way, the fall actually breaks the umbilical cord and helps to stimulate the calf’s first breath – it’s a dramatic entry but it’s just how they do it!
“The new calf has arrived at the end of a 15-month pregnancy for mum Orla and already he stands at 6ft – he could grow to be up to 18ft tall. Orla, an experienced mother, has slipped back into the role like a natural. She’s doing everything right, and it’s lovely to see the close bond between the two of them.
“This latest arrival joins a group of eight Rothschild’s giraffes at the zoo and it’s always an exciting time for the herd when a new calf arrives. Two of the older females, Dagmar and Tula, appear to have taken on the role of protective aunties, helping Orla to watch out for the newborn. The other youngsters in the group love running around together and so, as soon as the calf starts to increase in confidence and venture outside, I’m sure they’ll enjoy having a new playmate around.”
A girafa de Rothschild é altamente ameaçada e sua população sofreu um declínio de 50% nas últimas décadas, tornando-a uma das mais da maioria do mundo. Especialistas estimam que apenas 1.600 permanecem na África com a União Internacional para a Conservação da Natureza (IUCN), citando a perda de habitat e a caça furtiva como duas de suas maiores ameaças. Apesar dos recentes desafios criados pela pandemia de coronavírus, a equipe acaba de relatar um sexto aumento anual consecutivo no número de girafas nas áreas onde o zoológico e seus parceiros funcionam. A partir dessas áreas e agora sobrevive apenas em algumas pequenas populações isoladas. Acompanhe e protege a população de girafas no Parque Nacional Kidepo Valley de Uganda, estamos encantados
Chester Zoo has a long history of protecting Rothschild’s giraffes in the wild, working with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda. Despite recent challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic, the team has just reported a sixth consecutive yearly increase in giraffe numbers in the areas where the zoo and its partners work.
Mike Jordan, Director of Animals and Plants at the zoo, added:
“Once wide-ranging across Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, the Rothschild’s giraffe has been almost eliminated from these areas and now only survives in a few small, isolated populations. Encouragingly, they are starting to recover with the support of conservation programmes such as those supported by Chester Zoo but they’re still threatened with habitat loss and an ongoing poaching crisis, which has seen giraffes hunted for their tails to be used as good-luck charms.
“Working with The Giraffe Conservation Foundation and Uganda Wildlife Authority to monitor, track and protect the giraffe population in Uganda’s Kidepo Valley National Park, we’re delighted que, mesmo com os desafios que a pandemia lançou, os números estão aumentando lentamente. Suas notícias positivas e devemos continuar e fazer tudo o que pudermos para ajudar a evitar a extinção desses gigantes gentis. ”
