Margaret's Survival Story
17 July 2008
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.
“When Margaret eventually formed a bond with Belinda and Clare, she began to bottle feed from them and is now going from strength to strength. The odds were always slightly stacked against Margaret given her size but thanks to round-the-clock, dedicated care and after spending months off-show to the public, she is now back out with the herd and thriving.
“Margaret really is our little miracle and we are delighted that she is now back out with the giraffe herd where our visitors can see her.”
Margaret’s fight for survival will be followed by viewers of the new Zoo Days series, which starts on Five on September 29 and which will once again give viewers a behind the scenes look at Chester Zoo.
Ron Trickett, Series Producer, said: “Margaret’s birth made headline news the first time around, given that she was considered to be one of the smallest giraffes in the world. Her incredible fight for survival makes compelling viewing and I am sure Zoo Days viewers will be hooked on her story.”