Visitors flock to see newborn giraffe at LA Zoo
STORY: The week-old Masai calf was unveiled to the public on Thursday.
“He's very curious about the zookeepers, myself and our interaction with his mom and the other giraffes. So he's kind of a little shy right now, but hopefully as he gets older, he'll warm up to us as well like his parents are," said L.A. Zoo Giraffe Keeper, Mike Bona.
The calf was born on April 8 to 10-year old parents Zainabu and Phillip who already share one other youngster together.
The baby - still unnamed - weighed 172 pounds (78 kg) at birth and clocked in at 6ft 7in (2 meters) tall, setting a record as the largest calf to be born in the zoo’s history. He’s Zainabu’s fourth offspring and Phillip’s sixth.
Zainabu carried the calf for 15 months before going into labor, which lasted around three hours. She will be ready to reproduce again in around three to six months, her keepers said.
When fully grown, the new calf could reach up to 17 feet (5.1 meters) in height and weigh as much as 2,700 pounds (1,225 kg). But before that, he’s likely to be moved from this family to start his own.
