Giraffe Calf The Tallest Baby

Mother giraffes stand 4.6m (15ft) high, and give birth by standing up so that they can keep a close watch for lions, hyenas and wild dogs which could easily snatch a vulnerable youngster. Within an hour, when the 1.8m (6ft) tall calf has mastered its long legs and is able to run, its mother can lead it away from danger, the pair fleeing across the plains of East Africa at speeds up to 52km/h (32mph).