A ZOO has welcomed a stunningly cute new arrival.

The West African giraffe was born at South Lakes Safari Zoo on Wednesday morning. 


The new giraffe at South Lakes Safari Zoo. This is the rarest giraffe sub species in captivity and the Dalton zoo is the only one in the UK to hold and breed them.

The yet-to-be-named female calf will be on show to visitors.

The newborn is a second daughter to mum Katoumi and dad Dayo - and brother to one-year-old Melman, who was born in March last year. 

The zoo has kept giraffes for 18 years. 

Katoumi and Dayo arrived in 2011.

A zoo spokeswoman said: "The most important success is in Niger, West Africa, where our safari zoo, along with Bioparc, Doue La Fontaine in France, has been deeply involved with the management and operations of the best giraffe recovery project ever undertaken. 

"The Peralta giraffe was on the verge of imminent extinction, with only 60 animals known to exist in 1999.

"But with constant work, excellent community participation and humanitarian work, the population is now over 450 animals and growing.

"Our mission is to bring the reality of wildlife conservation to life and to involve visitors in making a difference.

"We are presently building a whole new giraffe facility for our breeding group of West African giraffes to continue the breeding success into the future."