Zoo visitors look up to new baby

20 December, 2006 - Published 10:51 GMT

A baby giraffe Visitors to a zoo in England have to look up to see the latest new born animal. It's a rare Rothschild giraffe and it is 5ft (1.5m) tall. This story voiced by Yvonne Archer:     Listen to the story The baby female, who was born on the 13 November, has been named Molly by Chester Zoo staff. Molly made her debut weighing 11 stone (70kg) and was walking around her enclosure within half an hour, said a zoo spokesperson. There are just 600 Rothschild giraffes left in the wild in Kenya and Uganda. Mike Jordan, Chester Zoo's Curator of Mammals and Birds, said that she is coming along very well and that they are delighted with her progress. He added that the zoo has a good track record when it comes to breeding giraffes and that they are delighted to welcome another to the fold." Molly is the first Rothschild giraffe to be born at the zoo and her birth came just a day after the birth of an Asian elephantcalf. Listen to the words debut first appearance enclosure (here) place where animals are kept spokesperson the worker who represents the organisation when speaking to journalists in the wild living in their natural environment Curator person who is in charge of a collection of (here) animals mammals animals which have hair or fur and are fed by milk when they are young coming along developing, making progress track record history of achievements or successes fold group or community calf young large mammal (usually cow) Read more about this story For teachers Lesson plan based on the story (36k) (past tense)