SHE was one of Chester Zoo’s miracles when she was born but little giraffe Margaret has proved to be just that for a second time.
Margaret was not only the first female Rothschild Giraffe born at the zoo but also considered to be the smallest giraffe ever born.
A first calf for six-year-old mum Faye, Margaret tipped the scales at just 34 kilos and reached a mere 5ft in height when she was born in January.
In her early days, Margaret had difficulty suckling from Faye and eventually had to be removed from the rest of the herd as her dedicated team of keepers, including Belinda Porter and Clare Rooney, battled to save her life.
Tim Rowlands, the zoo’s assistant curator of higher vertebrates, said: “Margaret has been through a rocky few months. Her difficulties in feeding meant at one point we were literally having to feed her by tube just to keep her alive.
Margaret’s fight for survival will be followed by viewers of the new Zoo Days series, which starts on Five on August 11 and which will once again give viewers a behind the scenes look at Chester Zoo.
Full story and picture in Friday’s edition of The Chronicle.
