First Moments Of A Baby Giraffe

Giraffe gestation lasts between 400 and 460 days, after which a single calf is normally born, although twins occasionally occur. The mother gives birth standing up and the embryonic sack usually bursts when the baby falls to the ground. Newborn giraffes are about 1.8 m (5 ft. 11 in.) tall.
Within a few hours of being born, calves can run around and are indistinguishable from a week-old calf; however, for the first two weeks, they spend most of their time lying down, guarded by the mother. It has been speculated that their characteristic spotted pattern provides a certain degree of camouflage. Mothers with calves will gather in nursery herds which are usually made up of two or more infants and/or juveniles and their mothers moving or browsing together. Mothers in a groups may sometimes leave their calves with one female while they travelled to other areas. It is what’s known as a "calving pool". Males largely play no role in raising the young.
The young can fall prey to lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and wild dogs. Mother giraffes will defend their young by placing themselves between the young and the predator and kicking the predator. Giraffes only defend their own young and form calving herds for selfish reasons. Only 25 to 50% of giraffe calves reach adulthood. Maximum lifespan is ~25 years in the wild and 28 years in captivity.