After a 15 month wait, Longneck Manor is delighted to welcome the newest addition to its precious wildlife family; a female reticulated giraffe calf.
Arriving at 12:12 pm on Oct. 18, and weighing 140 pounds, Betty’s not-so-little baby girl has the distinctive gold and caramel reticulated coat pattern unique to this rare subspecies of giraffe. Both mom and baby appear to be doing well.
The birth took place inside the 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art giraffe barn at Longneck Manor. The labor and birth were constantly monitored by the animal care team and an attending exotic wildlife veterinarian. Some birth video and still images of the calf will be made available upon request for approved media use.
It was a family affair, with the other giraffe staying close by to protect Betty during labor, and to welcome their new family member, just as they would in the wild.
Photo by Stacy Lorraine Photography
The calf stood up on her long, wobbly legs within one hour of birth and started nursing shortly after. A brief veterinary examination was performed to ensure the calf was alert and appeared healthy. She is currently nursing and receiving lots of gentle nuzzles from her attentive mom.
Betty and her calf will remain inside their comfortable barn for a few weeks, so that the Longneck Manor animal care team can allow mom time to bond with her baby girl, and until she is strong enough to run and play in the large outdoor pastures with the rest of Longneck Manor’s growing giraffe family.
Betty White the Giraffe
“We are sky high over this first giraffe birth at Longneck Manor and thrilled to introduce our newest, and cutest, animal ambassador to all our guests. If there is a more adorable baby on the planet, I haven’t seen it. Best of all, I know she will inspire everyone who sees her to care and conserve giraffes in the wild; a vital mission that is at the heart of everything we do here,” stated Rick Barongi, Founder and Director of the non-profit Longneck Manor Conservation Foundation.
