Baby giraffe joy for wildlife attraction

Calf Kijana was about 6ft when he was born - he is pictured here with mum Savannah

A baby giraffe has been born at a North Yorkshire zoo for the first time in six years.

Keepers at Flamingo Land resort were surprised with the arrival in the early hours of Sunday.

It is the second calf birthed by nine-year-old Savannah, and the first offspring of four-year-old Albert, who only arrived at the resort in September 2023.

Park executive Ross Snipp said it was "a real special occasion".

The Kirby Misperton attraction cares for more than 140 species and has looked after Rothschild's giraffes since 2009.

There are fewer than 1,400 of the creatures, which normally call Kenya and Uganda home, living in the wild.

"This birth is incredibly significant and represents a future stronghold for the species," Mr Snipp said.

He added that the zoo now had eight of the species, and said there could be more to come.

"Fingers crossed we should have more babies this year. We could have up to five and that would be incredible."

The calf has been described as "very inquisitive"

Keepers have named the calf Kijana, meaning young man in Swahili.

Mr Snipp said the young giraffe had already been out and about at the park.

"He's very inquisitive, he's very active. I knew straight away as soon as I saw him he was a male.

"They're human-size when they're born; he was big and he's kind of showing that already," Mr Snipp said.

"He was giving his dad a little bit of stick yesterday so I think he'll do well," he added.

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