While we all love watching Nature unfold, it must be said that some moments are more special than others. In this video, we share in the joyous sight of a giraffe giving birth, as recently witnessed on safari in South Africa.
Matt Durell submitted this very special footage to Latest Sightings. He witnessed the incredible moment while on a game drive at South Africa’s Singita Sabi Sands.
Watch the video now:
Giraffe in soft light
As we join Matt at the sighting, it takes us a moment to register what we are seeing. At first glance, we see a female giraffe standing awkwardly in the soft morning light.
However, we then notice that she is in the process of giving birth. Behind her, her new calf’s neck hangs towards the ground.
Giving birth standing up
This moment marks the culmination of a 15-month gestation period. What is perhaps most surprising is that giraffes give birth standing up.
This means the calf will drop from a height of over two metres. But there’s a good reason for this, as we’ll soon explain.
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A thudding welcome
As the calf finally falls free, it is accompanied by a gush of fluid. This is amniotic fluid that has escaped as the protective membrane enveloping the calf throughout pregnancy ruptures.
Considering what we know about human birth, it is remarkable to note the mother’s apparent calm throughout the process.
Since the calf’s head makes contact with the ground first, its long neck helps disperse the impact as the rest of the body follows. Nevertheless, it falls quite heavily.
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Oh, there you are!
As the giraffe feels her baby fall free, she immediately turns to check on it. Meanwhile, the foal’s lungs jump into action, sparked by the impact of the fall.
From now on, time is of the essence. Despite having just given birth, the cow has work to do to improve her offspring’s chances of survival.
Immediately, she bends down to eat the amniotic sac. Once she finishes, she will lick the remaining fluid from her calf. This is important, as the scent could attract predators.
As she cleans it, the calf is instinctively trying to stand. With the scent of birth hanging in the air, the calf needs to leave with its mother as soon as possible.
Within an hour, the calf is on its feet and will soon suckle for the first time. Amazingly, they can run alongside their mothers when just two hours old.
From an ethical standpoint, we commend Matt on keeping a respectable distance from the giraffe and her calf throughout the sighting.
As with all sightings, you don’t need to be on top of animals to appreciate incredible moments in Nature.
