Words by Abi Scaife
A baby giraffe has been born in the UK which experts say is ‘vital’ to conservation.
Adorable! Tell me more.
Born on Remembrance Day (November 11th), Wilfred was named after WW1 poet Wilfred Owen who wrote poems such as ‘Insensibility’, ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ and ‘The Parable of the Old Man and the Young’.
He took his first, wobbly, steps an hour after he was born, and is now loving life being doted on by mum, Luna, and dad, Bashu.
Why is Wilfred so cute, I mean, important?
Wilfred’s (the giraffe, not the man) birth is a huge win for zookeepers and conservationists as, when he’s a little older, he can be added to the international conservation breeding programme (EEP).
This is so important because reticulated giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, meaning that right now every birth counts.
The video (which is aww-dorable) shows Wilfred bonding with mum and dad, and picking his nose with his tongue. Oh, Wilfred!
