Keepers and conservationists at the United Kingdom's Chester Zoo
are celebrating the birth of a rare Rothschild's Giraffe calf – the world’s most
endangered subspecies of Giraffe.  The
female calf was born on March 25 to first-time mother Orla after a 14 ½ month
pregnancy.  Rothschild’s Giraffes are
distinguished by broader dividing white lines and have no spots below the
knees.

Despite being just a few days old, the
six-foot-tall youngster, named Millie, is already towering over zoo keepers.

Photo Credits:  Chester Zoo

“For a first time mum Orla is doing a superb job so far.  Millie was up on her feet within just a few minutes
of being born and she began suckling from mum not long after,” said Chester Zoo’s
curator of mammals Tim Rowlands.  “Rothschild's
Giraffes are very, very rare indeed and so careful, managed breeding programs
in zoos and wildlife parks are vital for their long-term future. We’re
therefore obviously delighted with our newcomer.”

According to conservationists there are now less than 670 Rothschild's Giraffes
left in the wild, with the population declining by more than 80% in the last
ten years.  Once wide-ranging across
Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, the Rothschild’s Giraffe has been almost totally
eliminated from much of its former range and now only survives in a few small,
isolated populations in Kenya and Uganda. 
These elegant mammals are listed as Endangered by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature

Chester Zoo supports important projects in
the wild, including the first ever scientific review of the Rothschild's Giraffe with
the aim of developing a long-term conservation strategy for the species in
Africa.

See more photos of Millie below the fold.