A family from Wimbledon, London, has shared remarkable photos of a giraffe giving birth in the wild at Kenya’s Olare Motorogi Conservancy.
Paul Goldstein, his 11-year-old son Joshua, and his wife Donna were fortunate to witness the rare event during their visit.
Paul Goldstein, who also works as a tour guide, noticed the giraffe acting strangely and saw the newborn’s legs starting to appear.
The family switched off their vehicle’s engine and patiently observed the two-hour birthing process. To their amazement, the newborn giraffe took its first unsteady steps within 30 minutes of birth.
A British family has captured stunning photographs of the moment a giraffe gave birth in the wild in Kenya. The Goldsteins saw a pregnant female giraffe acting strangely before noticing that the calf’s legs were beginning to emerge. Source: Daily Mail
Goldstein explained that young giraffes like this one are particularly vulnerable to predators such as lions, hyenas, and leopards.
With declining giraffe populations, witnessing this birth was humbling and invigorating. Goldstein also noted the tender care shown by the mother giraffe and the attention from other giraffe family members, which he described as touching and fascinating.
Source: Daily Mail
Paul Goldstein, 11-year-old Joshua, and his mother Donna, from Wimbledon, London, spotted the pregnant mother giraffe in the heart of Kenya’s Olare Motorogi Conservancy. They then watched and took photos as the animal gave birth (pictured). Source: Daily Mail
The family turned off their vehicle’s engine and waited with the whole birth taking two hours. Within just 30 minutes of being born, the vulnerable calf had taken its first tentative steps. Source: Daily Mail
Tender: The mother stooped down to lick her vulnerable newborn calf moments after it was born in Kenya’s Olare Motorogi Conservancy. Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail
At this stage in their lives, young giraffes are extremely vulnerable to predators, particularly to lions, hyenas, and leopards. Source: Daily Mail
At one stage, another giraffe could be seen standing over the calf, helping to protect it from predators in the nature reserve. Source: Daily Mail
Mr Goldstein said the tenderness shown by the mother as well as ‘aunts and cousins’ was both ‘touching and fascinating’. Source: Daily Mail
The tour guide said that the spectacle was all the more heartening because giraffe numbers have recently declined in the area. Source: Daily Mail
Protection: Two giraffes stand over the newborn calf in Kenya’s Olare Motorogi Conservancy. The birth was witnessed by a British family. Source: Daily Mail
Finding your feet: The family also witnessed the newborn taking its first tentative steps under the watchful eye of its mother. Source: Daily Mail
Up, up and away: Within half an hour of being born, the ‘Bambi-like’ baby giraffe was on its feet and starting to walk around. Source: Daily Mail