Unlike most newborns, giraffes can be over six feet tall at birth and stand on their own feet instantly. 

Which is why Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, in Colorado, is so excited about their newest arrival: a baby female giraffe born on Wednesday morning.

  The announcement follows a 15-month pregnancy by 10-year-old mom Bailey. According to a post from the zoo, a “group of lucky guests” saw Bailey’s water break as she went into labor. 

“Tens of thousands” also witnessed the baby’s birth live via a YouTube livestream set up by the zoo.

  Giraffes have one of the most unique births in the animal kingdom: Giraffes have the third-largest newborns in the animal kingdom, behind only blue whales and elephants, averaging about 165 pounds. 

After the long gestation period, baby giraffes enter the world already pretty fully-formed, and start taking their first wobbly steps within an hour of birth. 

That was the case for this newborn, the zoo writes, who took “several attempts to stand on its own” before finding her footing.

 
The calf is currently unnamed: in accordance with “Cheyenne Mountain Zoo tradition,” they will wait 30 days before giving her a name.  
They don’t have an exact weight and height yet, but she appears to be 6 feet tall and about 125 pounds. She is the second baby for mom Bailey, and is now the 17th member of the zoo’s reticulated giraffe herd. Her father is a male giraffe named Khalid. 
 The mom and baby have been bonding well, and zoo visitors can see them from a short distance in the giraffe barn. They can also be seen on the zoo’s livestream.

Reticulated giraffes were listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List as of 2018, so every new birth is great news for the conservation of this endangered species. 
 We hope this beautiful little giraffe continues to thrive and grow up big, strong and very tall! Congrats to mama Bailey on her second birth!
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