Late on Thursday night, Neja the giraffe became a fourth-time mother when she gave birth to the herd's newest female Rothschild’s giraffe.
The calf, named Ballyclare, is delighting both visitors and staff and arrived just in time for the August bank holiday in the North.
Mother and baby are both said to be doing well and staff are watching over the pair to ensure the calf is nursing well and the mother-calf bond is strong.
Measuring 175cm, baby Clare already has a head start on her older brother Ronan who was born back in May – he was one of the shortest giraffe calves ever born at Belfast Zoo at just 158cm.
Zoo manager Alyn Cairns believes the success of the zoo’s giraffe breeding programme is due to the expertise and dedication from his team.
“We work collaboratively with zoos around the world and take part in a European breeding programme. Since we became home to the species in 1988, we have celebrated the arrival of 37 calves and we are delighted to welcome little Clare to the herd.”
Giraffes are one of the world’s most iconic and loved animals, but they are facing increasing threats in the wild due to poaching and habitat destruction.
Rothschild's giraffes are one of the most endangered of the nine subspecies of giraffe.
