Giraffes are some of the most distinctive and captivating animals on the planet. Their long necks, spotted coats, and gentle nature make them universally beloved. And few things are more adorable than a baby giraffe, with its huge eyes, wobbly legs, and eager curiosity as it explores its world.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: baby giraffes are called calves. But there’s much more to learn about these floppy-eared cuties. Read on to discover everything you need to know about what you call a baby giraffe.
The Proper Terms for a Baby Giraffe
Newborn
A newborn giraffe is called a calf. These long-legged babies come into the world front feet first, followed by the head and neck. This is an important adaptation that allows calves to begin breathing quickly as their nostrils are above the ground.
Newborn giraffes are quite large, averaging 6 feet tall and weighing 100 to 150 pounds. Within an hour of birth, a calf can stand up and walk on its spindly legs. This quick development is essential for a vulnerable newborn finding its footing in the African savanna.
In their first week of life, newborn giraffes stay very close to their mothers for protection. They will nurse frequently, sometimes up to 12 times per day, gaining 100 pounds in their first month. The nutrient-rich milk helps the calf grow quickly.
A calf’s spots are present at birth, though they are not very defined. The dark spots will become more pronounced in the coming weeks as the baby develops its unique coat pattern.
Calf
A baby giraffe is called a calf from birth through its first year. Calves are dependent on their mothers for food, protection and guidance during their first year. They continue nursing until 6-9 months old, while foraging for leaves, shoots and grass alongside their mothers.
This teaches them what foods are safe to eat in their habitat.
A giraffe calf reaches 10-12 feet tall during its first year. Its long legs allow it to run within a few hours after birth, an essential skill for escaping predators on the savanna. Calves learn to use their 18-inch tongues to pluck leaves from trees.
By imitating their mothers, they develop skills like using their knobby ossicones to defend themselves in skirmishes.
Male calves leave their mothers after a year to join bachelor herds. Female calves may stay with their mothers for up to two years before joining a new herd. Even after gaining independence, young giraffes may return to their mothers for nourishment and protection when stressed.
Weanling
A giraffe calf is called a weanling once it is weaned from its mother’s milk, usually between 6-9 months old. In the wild, the weaning process happens gradually, as the calf spends less time nursing and more time eating foliage. By a year old, a giraffe is fully weaned and nutritionally independent.
Weanling giraffes face high mortality rates in their first year, up to 50% in some populations. Lions, leopards, hyenas and African wild dogs all prey on vulnerable calves. Humans also pose a threat, from poaching to habitat loss. Surviving this developmental period is crucial for juvenile giraffes.
Weanlings grow rapidly, putting on substantial height in their first year. They develop thicker ossicones and thicker necks as they mature. A weanling must learn to forage independently for food and evade predators. This critical stage of growth determines which calves will survive to adulthood.
Unique Traits of Baby Giraffes
Size and Appearance
Baby giraffes, called calves, are quite large at birth. They are typically 6 feet tall and can weigh between 150 and 200 pounds! Their long legs and necks contribute to this impressive size. Newborn calves have large eyes and short, fuzzy ossicones on top of their head.
Their fur pattern is similar to an adult giraffe, with brown blotches separated by lighter fur. This camouflage pattern helps calves hide from predators. Within a few weeks, the ossicones begin to harden and become permanent.
Walking and Running
Baby giraffes can stand and walk within an hour after birth. This ability allows them to quickly follow their mothers to keep up with the herd. They may be a bit unsteady at first, but most calves are running by day two. Their long legs allow them to reach speeds over 30 miles per hour.
This helps them escape from lions, leopards, hyenas, and other predators on the African savanna. Baby giraffes quickly develop excellent coordination skills to navigate their environment.
Dietary Needs
For the first few months, baby giraffes drink only their mother’s milk. Giraffe milk has a high fat and protein content to help calves grow quickly. Around 4 months old, calves begin sampling vegetation alongside their mothers.
By 6 months, they are fully weaned from milk and rely on leaves, shoots, and bark for nutrition. A calf’s long tongue allows it to reach high branches that adults cannot. This access to additional food sources helps the young giraffe thrive.
Socialization
From birth, calves quickly learn to identify their mothers among the large herd. They spend most of their time together for safety and nurturing. Young calves interact and play with others their age through actions like neck wrestling.
As they mature, juvenile giraffes associate more with adult bulls to learn behaviors. Females tend to stay with the herd their whole lives. The social bonds baby giraffes form are critical for their development and survival in the wild.
The Birthing and Nursing Process
Gestation Period
The gestation period for giraffes is between 14 and 15 months, one of the longest gestation periods of any land mammal. During this time, the calf will grow from just a few pounds to over 100 pounds at birth.
The long gestation allows the calf to develop its long legs, neck, and ossicones (horn-like protrusions on the head). The mother giraffe will stand while giving birth, and the calf will drop 5-6 feet to the ground.
This dramatic entry into the world helps break the amniotic sac and stimulates breathing.
The Birth
Giraffe births are unique in the animal kingdom. When a giraffe mother goes into labor, she will isolate herself from the rest of the herd to find a private spot to give birth. The calf will emerge front feet first from the mother, followed by the head and shoulders.
Finally the rest of the calf will slide out. The baby giraffe will weigh over 100 pounds and stand over 6 feet tall at birth! Newborn giraffes are able to stand on their own within the first hour after birth. This ability allows them to escape predators quickly after entering the world.
Within a few hours after birth, the newborn will take its first wobbly steps. Giraffe mothers are very protective of their young, keeping a close eye on the calf and steering it away from danger. Unfortunately, even with a vigilant mother, up to 50% of giraffe calves will fall prey to predators like lions and hyenas in their first few months of life.
Nursing and Weaning
Newborn giraffes stand taller than most humans, but they still need to crane their necks up to nurse from their mother’s teats. A calf will nurse frequently in its first week, consuming valuable colostrum and antibodies from the mother’s milk.
As the calf ages, nursing sessions will become less frequent. By four months, the calf only nurses once or twice a day.
Like all mammals, the calf must be weaned off its mother’s milk as it gets older. In the wild, giraffe calves will nurse for 9-15 months before naturally weaning. During the weaning process, the mothers will reject some nursing attempts or even walk away from the calf.
By around 15 months of age, the calf will be fully weaned and eating vegetation alongside the rest of the herd.
The nursing and weaning process is a critical stage in a giraffe’s life. The nutrition gained from the mother’s milk helps the gangly calf grow into its full adult stature of up to 19 feet tall! After weaning is complete, the young giraffe will possess the size and skills to survive on its own in the savanna.
The Importance of Conservation
Threats Facing Giraffes
Giraffes face numerous threats in the wild that put them at risk. Habitat loss and fragmentation due to agriculture, mining, and urban development have reduced the areas where giraffes can roam. Illegal hunting for bushmeat and trophies also poses a major threat, with an estimated 40% decline in giraffe populations over the past 30 years.
Furthermore, civil unrest and wars in Africa have made conservation efforts extremely difficult in many regions.
Protecting Calves and Mothers
Protecting giraffe calves and mothers is crucial for the species’ survival. Giraffe calves are highly vulnerable in their first few weeks of life. However, their mothers are fiercely protective and will defend them from predators.
Conservationists establish protected habitat corridors that allow giraffe mothers and calves to roam safely. Patrols also monitor for poachers looking to illegally hunt giraffes. Several giraffe subspecies numbers have stabilized thanks to increased enforcement in protected areas.
For example, the Nubian giraffe population in Ethiopia has grown from 140 individuals in 1996 to over 600 today.
How You Can Help
Luckily, there are a few impactful ways anyone can aid giraffe conservation efforts:
- Donate to reputable wildlife conservation groups like the Giraffe Conservation Foundation that directly protect giraffes across Africa
- Visit ethical giraffe tourism reserves and sanctuaries that fund protection efforts
- Spread awareness on social media using hashtags like #SaveTheGiraffes
- Contact government representatives to voice support for giraffe protections laws and funding
With coordinated efforts between African governments, conservationists, and passionate activists, we can ensure giraffes thrive for generations to come. Giraffes captivate people worldwide with their elegance and gentle nature – it is up to all of us to protect them.
Conclusion
Giraffes have enchanted people for centuries with their height, elegance, and gentle demeanor. The young calves, with their spindly legs and curious nature, are impossibly endearing. Understanding the proper terms for baby giraffes, their growth and development, the birthing process, and conservation efforts can help deepen your appreciation of these long-necked creatures.
Though small in stature, calves play an integral role in the future of the giraffe population. With ongoing challenges from poaching, habitat loss, and more, it’s vital that we protect both calves and adult giraffes.
The next time you see an adorable baby giraffe, remember the magic it represents, as well as how fragile that wonder is. With more awareness and dedicated conservation, we can ensure a bright future for generations of calves to come.
