After a 400-460 day gestational period, mama giraffes give birth to a single, 5.6–6.6 ft tall baby giraffe. Within a few hour of coming into the world, junior can run about, but for the first couple of weeks, it spends most of its time hiding. Mothers with calves will gather in nursery herds, moving or browsing together, and may sometimes leave their calves with one female while they forage and drink elsewhere. The time baby giraffes stay with their mother varies, and sometimes will be until the female's next calving. Calves may suckle for only a month or as long as a year. Females giraffes become sexually mature when they are four years old, while males become mature at four or five years. .................................................................................................................................................................. #science #nature #animals #outdoors #education