Marwell Zoo announces name of adorable Rothschild’s giraffe calf

Ruby, one of the female giraffes, went into labour on August 21 and gave birth to a miraculous new arrival - an adorable male Rothschild’s giraffe calf.

Mother Ruby, Father Mburu and their calf are all Rothschild’s giraffes and the species is listed as Near Threatened on the Internation Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

The new addition to the zoo has been a blessing and the team have officially named the calf, announcing it on social media.

The Facebook post said: “The newest member of the giraffe herd has now been named! Born just a few weeks ago, Mbonisi's name means 'one who leads', which keepers say is fitting for his determined spirit.”

The gorgeous is the first newborn addition to Marwell Zoo’s giraffe herd since 2012, which is also the year Ruby was born. The birth is even more spectacular given that Ruby was on birth control making her new calf a little miracle baby.

The giraffe house was closed for a few days following the birth of Mbonisi but it reopened at the end of last month - and people have been excited to see the new calf.

For more information about Marwell Zoo, click here.