Giraffe Giving Birth: Zoo Visitors Witness The Birth Of Endangered Baby Giraffe [WATCH VIDEO]

An endangered Rothschild giraffe gave birth at a zoo in England Thursday afternoon, reports say. Visitors to Paignton Zoo in Devon had a remarkable experience of witnessing the baby giraffe being born.

The Guardian reports that the mother giraffe, Sangha, was in labour at 2:30 p.m. Though giraffes typically give birth at night, Sangha has chosen to do it in broad daylight—much to the delight of zoo spectators.

According to senior head keeper for Paignton Zoo mammmals, Matthew Webb, the staff let Sangha choose her own spot where she would give birth and had chosen it in front of everyone.“We let her wander about and find her own place to give birth, rather than separate her off. She chose to give birth in the giraffe house in front of visitors in the gallery and a crowd of excited keepers,” he said.

The Giraffe Conservation Foundation, or GCF, states that a giraffe’s gestation period usually lasts for about 15 months or 453-464 days. The mother takes a standing position when giving birth, which results to the breaking of the umbilical cord when the baby drops to the ground.

A newborn giraffe will suckle on its mom the moment it can stand up. The calves depend highly on their mother’s milk for around nine to 12 months.

Paignton Zoo spokesman Phil Knowling told the Guardian that zookeepers were monitoring the baby giraffe. Remote cameras installed within the enclosures showed that the baby was feeding from its mom just right.

Rothschild giraffes are identified by their very dark-coloured markings. They are typically found in Uganda and Kenya, but their numbers were reduced and they are now considered endangered.

They are also now extinct in Sudan, according to GCF. The drastic decline in their numbers was due to agricultural development, human encroachment, hunting and loss of habitat.