There is a new addition at Planckendael Zoo, near Mechelen in Antwerp Province. A giraffe calf was born there on Tuesday and from today (Friday) visitors to the zoo can take a look at the baby giraffe for themselves. Animal lovers will soon be able to vote on a name for the giraffe calf via the zoo’s Instagram.
The calf is a Kordofan giraffe, an endanged species. Kordofan giraffes are mainly found in the Garamba National Park in Eastern Congo. There, their survival is threatened by the ongoing armed conflict, poaching and habitat loss. To preserve the species, Planckendael Zoo participates in a European breeding programme for the animals.
Zookeeper Jolien told journalists that the birth of the calf is "a very emotional moment that we have been counting down to for a very long time". The gestation period for giraffes is 15 months.
It is mother Valeye’s first calf. "She reacted with great surprised to the birth and so the first moments went a bit differently than what they do with experienced mothers. They usually go straight to their offspring to poke them awake, but Valeye kept looking on in surprise". The baby giraffe's father, Matombu, died suddenly earlier this year.
The calf, a boy, does not yet have a name. In 2024, all animals born at Planckendael Zoo will be given a name that begins with the letter Z. The keepers have already drawn up a shortlist and the public will soon be able to vote for via Instagram.
Male giraffes can grow up to 5.5 metres long, females up to 4.5 metres. Giraffes are the tallest land animals in the world and yet they only have seven neck vertebrae, just like humans. Their tongue also has unique dimensions: it is 45 centimetres long.