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Article: Slice of Africa On Mini-Safari In California
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- July 24, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1994 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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ESCONDIDO, Calif. The 10 of us, cameras in hand, crouched in the
back of our flatbed truck downwind from a herd of Baringo giraffes
milling around in the open savannah less than 200 feet away.
An exciting event, rarely observed by humans, was taking place -
the birth of a baby giraffe. The mother remained erect, motionless,
watchful, her hind legs spread apart.
Suddenly the baby's head and front legs appeared, and it
literally fell into the world, miraculously landing on its feet.
Standing almost 6 feet tall and weighing more than 100 pounds, the
new-born giraffe teetered precariously on its wobbly legs. The other
giraffes closed protectively around mother and baby, keeping a
cautious ...