Auckland Zoo has welcomed a new baby giraffe born on Monday, the 30th to be born at the zoo.
[image:4395:full]The newcomer is the fourth offspring of 10-year-old female Rukiya and 13-year-old Zabulu.
One of the pair's previous offspring did not survive, but Auckland Zoo says the newborn female calf is in good health.
The zoo says the birth is significant for the Australasian region's breeding programme, as other giraffes born to the same mother have all been males.
A team leader at the zoo, Nat Sullivan, said the mother and calf would be given some time to bond in private, as they would in the wild.
They will be gradually integrated with other giraffe, zebra and ostriches in the giraffe paddock.
Zoo visitors can expect to see them out and about within the next month.
There are four giraffes at Auckland Zoo.
