Cuteness Isn’t a Tall Order at the Whipsnade Zoo
Published on December 09, 2013
How's the weather up there, little guy?
OK, OK. We'll lay off the tall jokes. But seriously, how cute is this baby giraffe?
The new arrival was born Sept. 30 at the ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in England, and at only a month old, he already stands six feet tall! And he shows no signs of slowing down now — keepers expect him to grow an inch every day of his first year.
He's a reticulated giraffe — the subspecies with the most distinctive pattern: brown, box-like markings (called a reticulated pattern).
This giraffe is the firstborn for both mother Ijuma and father Uno.
“It’s Uno’s first baby and he has been very curious about the new arrival, showing a lot of interest in him. We keep spotting him peering over to get a better look," says keeper Louise Jakobsen.
“Ijuma is also doing a brilliant job as a first-time mum. She’s been showing excellent maternal instincts towards her baby and is gaining in confidence all the time.”
