Giraffe Calf Born in Prague Zoo
As of july, a baby northern giraffe has been on display at Prague Zoo. The little female was born at the start of the month, but until now she has been with her mother in the rear quarters of the African House. This was due to an insufficiently stable left forelimb, which was apparent soon after birth. Moving around on solid ground and the mother’s exemplary care both played their part and the complication was resolved with no need for extra veterinary care. Yesterday the new addition was introduced to the indoor quarters and eventually she will meet the rest of the herd. The calf’s mother is Fara, while her father is the now-deceased male Johan. The calf is his 30th offspring.
Despite its difficult start in life, the baby giraffe showed a great deal of tenacity and zest for life. Two weeks after its birth, it is now on display to Prague Zoo’s visitors. Photo Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo
Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo’s director, said, “The year of newborns that are both attractive and important, as concerns breeding, is far from over. The baby gorillas, orangutan, wombat or pangolin have been joined by a small giraffe. Last April, the well-known male, Johan, mated with Fara. She was closely monitored for the first signs of a possible pregnancy. After one year, two months and twenty-nine days, Johan’s last, thirtieth, offspring was born.”
The calf is Johan’s 30th offspring, the 86th giraffe calf born in Prague Zoo and the 99th giraffe to be kept in Prague Zoo’s long history of keeping these ungulates. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Fara is an experienced giraffe mother and the little female is her fourth calf. Shortly after the birth, which lasted about four hours, the calf got up onto its feet. However, it soon became clear that the left forelimb had a significantly backward bend at the carpal joint. Despite this, the little female moved very surely and also suckled from her mother. Thanks to suckling plenty of mum’s milk and controlled movement, the leg gradually began to strengthen and the posture corrected itself, much to the delight of the keepers.
Visitors can see the giraffes - including the two-week-old baby - inside the African House in the zoo’s upper grounds. The baby will take its first look at the outdoor enclosure, shared with zebras, ostriches and several antelope species, once it has become used to the indoor exhibit.
The small female northern giraffe stands beside her mother Fara in the rear quarters of the African House. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
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