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Rare giraffe calf is safari park's first baby of 2026

A baby giraffe peeks out from the legs of its mumMatt Lissimore/West Midlands Safari Park

The baby giraffe was born on Tuesday

A Northern giraffe calf has been born at West Midlands Safari Park in England – making it the park's first baby of the year.

It's already six feet tall, and took its first wobbly steps just 40 minutes after it was born on Tuesday.

Its birth is great news for the park. Northern giraffes are listed as vulnerable to extinction on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, which means that they face a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Keepers says they are "over the moon" about the cute new arrival and say the calf and mum, Arusha, are both doing well.

A newborn giraffe stands up in an indoor enclosureMatt Lissimore/West Midlands Safari Park

The calf hasn't been given a name yet

Head keeper Lisa Watkins said: "With the current weather, both mum and baby are spending time in the warmth of the giraffe house to bond."

She added that Arusha was doing a "fantastic job" of looking after her baby

The youngster will be given a name soon, after vets have carried out a health check to determine whether it's male or female.

Keep reading to find out five interesting facts about giraffes!

1. Giraffes are the world's tallest land animals

group of giraffe standing on a path Getty Images

Most giraffes are between 4-5m tall

Most giraffes are around four to five metres tall, but the tallest ones ever recorded have been up to 5.9m.

That's more than a metre taller than a double-decker bus!

2. They're strong and fast

Reticulated Giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata, Samburu GR, Kenya, running across savannaGetty Images

A giraffe running across savanna

When a giraffe is being attacked, it'll often use its powerful hooves to kick its predator.

They're also super fast and according to the World wildlife Fund (WWF) they can run at speeds of more than 60km per hour.

Male giraffes also sometimes fight by swinging their necks at each other.

3. They have purple tongues

A giraffe sticks its tongue out as it reaches upwards for food in the treesGetty Images

Giraffes use their long tongues and necks to reach their food

A giraffe's tongue can appear purple, bluish or almost black in colour.

This is because they have lots of melanin in them, which is a dark pigment.

It's thought to give their tongues extra protection from the sun's rays, stopping them from getting sunburnt as they feed.

4. They're herbivores

A Rothschild's giraffe eating leaves from a tree in Nakuru National Park, KenyaGetty Images

A Rothschild's giraffe eating leaves from a tree in Nakuru National Park, Kenya

Giraffes eat more than 100 different types of plants, using their long necks reach food found high up in the treetops.

Their favourite food is the tasty acacia tree.

5. Every giraffe has unique markings

Two giraffe found while on walking tour in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, nicely framed against the Acacia and GrassGetty Images

Giraffes' markings help them blend into their surroundings

Their spotted patterns help them to blend into their surroundings in the wild.

This is useful when they are being hunted by predators.