MIAMI (NBC) – Crank up the cuteness meter because this is bound to send it off the chart.
Cameras at Zoo Miami captured the first steps of a giraffe calf born just days ago. The unnamed male calf walked out onto the exhibit with his mother and other members of the herd for the first time Monday.
The newborn had been held inside a holding area with his mother to give them time to bond.
On Sunday, the calf received a neonatal exam where in addition to a general physical, he was weighed, had his blood collected, and received a microchip for identification.
He weighed a whopping 181 pounds and is the seventh baby born to Mia, his 14-year-old mother.
The first-time father is a 4-year-old named Malcolm. This is the 54th giraffe born in the zoo’s history!
As this newborn was making his exhibit debut, Zuri was giving birth behind the scenes to the 55th giraffe born in the zoo’s history – a female weighing just shy of 120 pounds!
The baby, Zuri’s second, was born Sunday at approximately 10:30 a.m., and is so far doing well.
The photos, taken by Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill, capture both babies, one of them during his first moments on the exhibit with the herd on Monday and the other taken minutes after the baby was born as it took its first steps at about the same time.
