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Photos: Brookfield Zoo Welcomes Baby Giraffe

By Samantha Abernethy in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 22, 2012 8:00PM

Well here's something adorable to be thankful for. This male giraffe calf was born on Nov. 12 at the Brookfield Zoo. The as-yet unnamed reticulated giraffe is now on public display with his mother, 5-year-old Arnieta.

Baby giraffes face a rude awakening as soon as they're born. Giraffe mothers give birth while standing, so the calf drops five feet to the ground right from the start. Giraffes have a 14-1/2-month gestation period, and at birth the calf was 6-foot-2-inches and weighed about 140 pounds.