Camel baby boom: Two sweet Bactrian camel calves born at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Two Bactrian camel calves have been born at Yorkshire Wildlife Park as a camel baby boom takes hold.
The first calf - a baby girl - was born to mum Elizabeth, who was born during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
She arrived just in time for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The second baby girl born at Yorkshire Wildlife Park arrived on Friday (March 11) after mum Darcy went into labour with the rangers close at hand.
“We’re ecstatic to have two new additions to the herd and can’t wait to see visitors' faces when they spot the new arrivals” said Ayshea Seston, Hoofstock Team Leader at the 175-acre park. “It is lovely to have two calves born closely together so they will grow up together – it will be lovely to see them playing together in the reserve.
“It was especially exciting to see the birth of Darcy’s calf this morning as they usually give birth at night but she had waited for us this morning!”
The new additions are yet to be named.
Bactrian camels are family oriented animals and can live for around forty years.
Their pregnancies take 13 months and calves stay close to their mothers until maturity which ranges from three years for females and up to six for males.
The domesticated strain of Bactrian camels are not endangered but the true wild Bactrian camel is a distinct species having evolved independently from other camels and is in desperate need of protection.