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Cincinnati Zoo welcomes new bundle of joy

Posted at 1:24 PM, Jul 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-30 13:24:53-04

Get ready for your daily dose of cuteness: Check out this adorable newborn giraffe taking its first steps in an Ohio zoo.

The 6-foot-tall 100-pound newborn wobbles and then takes a tumble just an hour after birth.

(Photo: Cincinnati Zoo Facebook)

The calf was born on Wednesday at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden to first-time mother Cece. The new mom had an unusually quick labor — only 30 minutes — according to the zoo.

“Cece gave us a good indication that something was happening when she refused to leave her stall to go outside this morning,” said Christina Gorsuch, curator of mammals at the Cincinnati Zoo.

“The birth process can take up to six hours, so 30 minutes is incredibly fast, especially for a first-time mom,” said Gorsuch.

The baby giraffe has yet to be named, but it has already become an Internet star. With a heart-shaped spot on its shoulder, social media users have suggested the zoo pick the name Sweetheart, Cupid or Corazon (Spanish for heart).

The gestation period for the world tallest mammal is 15 months, and the baby giraffes drop head-first to the ground. Preparing for the fall, zookeepers added extra saw dust and rubber mats to cushion the newborn’s fall.

Soon the baby will have a playmate. Jumbo, another female in the herd, is expecting her own bundle of joy in September.

This is the 14th giraffe born at the Cincinnati Zoo since 1889.