On Wednesday 21 August, Ruby one of our female giraffes gave birth to an adorable male Rothschild’s giraffe calf.

The gorgeous bundle of joy, who already stands at over 5ft tall, is the first newborn addition to Marwell Zoo’s giraffe herd since 2012, which is also the year Ruby was born!

Shortly after he was born, the calf picked up an infection that needed treating with antibiotics whilst Ruby was suffering discomfort when feeding.

As a first-time mother Ruby was unsure about the new arrival and both struggled getting used to feeding. It is testament to the fantastic work of our Hoofstock and Veterinary Teams that they’ve both come so far.

Working together our teams encouraged the pair to bond whilst making sure the youngster didn’t become dehydrated, a very real risk when early feeding isn’t successful.

The calf isn’t out of the woods yet as the risk of another infection is high and babies are always more vulnerable in the early days, but things are looking much more positive.

Rothschild’s giraffes are listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

All donations raised through this campaign will be used to help care for and support Marwell's giraffe herd.