Kiraka, a giraffe at Auckland Zoo has given birth to a healthy 1.8m tall calf.
The zoo said the female calf was born on Saturday and weighs approximately 60kg.
"Following her waters breaking at 7.30pm, it took just two hours [at 9.32pm] for Kiraka to deliver her fifth offspring who was moving about and suckling from her mum — a 1.8m stretch to reach Kiraka’s udders — within an hour and a half," the zoo said on its website.
Auckland Zoo ungulates team leader, Tommy Karlsson says: "It was a very smooth labour and a textbook delivery by Kiraka, that the team and I had the privilege of viewing from our camera monitoring system before going into the giraffe house to continue monitoring them.
"It’s been a long 15-month pregnancy for Kiraka during which time she put on an extra 100kg and, with this recent heat and humidity, we’ve no doubt she was very pleased to be finally giving birth."
He said Kiraka is an experienced mother, with four other offspring.
Karlsson said, at this early stage, Kiraka and her calf were staying inside the giraffe house but Kiraka could choose to bring her calf into the adjoining outdoor yard for short periods during the day, so visitors might catch a glimpse of her.
"The rest of the herd, including this newborn calf’s dad Billy, 5, will be out in the Africa Safari Track habitat with the zebra and ostrich.
"However, there might also be times in the day when they venture inside to check on how Kiraka and her calf are doing."
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