Birth of a Giraffe, Attended by Vultures

Giraffe in labor; note the calf's hooves protruding.

Tracy and I witnessed this birth at the Oklahoma City Zoo years ago. She was the first to notice the giraffe was in labor. "What's that sticking out of that giraffe?" she said. A closer look revealed that it was tiny hooves. We alerted the zoo employees, who stood and watched with us. ("What's the time table here?" another visitor asked impatiently.)

Birth in progress; vultures await a chance to snatch placenta or calf. 


Birth--the calf falls head-first, a drop of about six feet.

The calf seemed healthy; the vultures went hungry. 
Photos by Tracy.