How Big Is a Baby Giraffe?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 07, 2023

A baby giraffe is about 6 1/2 feet tall at birth and weighs about 220 pounds. A baby giraffe is called a calf, and the gestation time for giraffes is about 15 months.

Female calves are normally a bit smaller than males, but both sexes grow quickly, almost doubling their height in the first year of life. The mother gives birth from a standing position, and the calf drops onto the ground. The calf can stand up within an hour of birth and immediately begins suckling milk from the mother. While a calf begins dining on leaves at about 4 months of age, he still relies on his mother’s milk for most of his nourishment until the age of 9 to 12 months.