Biffa the giraffe produced a female calf at Marwell on 30th May, at 7 p.m. Biffa went into labour at about 5 p.m. that day.
Biffa and her calf are doing well. The calf has been named Makeda - the name of the Queen of Sheba, symbol of beauty.
The last time Biffa produced offspring (2003) she gave birth to twins – an amazingly rare event. Only one twin, Charlotte, survived and can be seen at Marwell.
This time, Biffa, who is 19 years old, gave birth to a single calf. The father of the baby is Christopher who is 14.
For a few days, mother and baby were kept on their own so that the baby got the best possible start then both joined Marwell’s group of giraffe, at first on the hardstand outside the house and later in their paddock. The new baby is strong and confident and mixes well with the others.
Baby giraffes weigh 50- 70 kg and are 1.7 – 2 metres in height. The pregnancy can last up to 450 days. Adult giraffes reach 6metres in height.
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