Newborn giraffe adorably attempts to duck from mother's tongue bath in Australian zoo

AUSTRALIA - The Perth Zoo in Australia celebrated the birth of a female giraffe calf, releasing a video of the newborn and her doting mother.

This video released by the facility shows mom Kitoto cleaning her baby with her huge tongue while the little one tries to stand up. The newborn was able to stand within 30 minutes after birth, the zoo said.

"For the next few weeks the giraffe herd will be spending time bonding with their adorable infant," the Perth Zoo said in a statement. "Like any family, the arrival of a newborn is a big deal and they’ll need some quiet time," they added.

The calf was born after a two-and-a-half-hour labor. She stood at approximately 6 feet (180 centimeters) and weighed around 120 pounds (about 55 kg), the zoo said.

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The calf is the third from Kitoto and the baby’s father, Armani.

"Giraffe numbers in the wild have plummeted to fewer than 80,000, making our efforts vitally important," the Perth Zoo said. The facility said they are expecting the birth of another giraffe calf this autumn.