Staff at Knowsley Safari Park are celebrating the birth of their latest Obig baby¹ - just in time for Mother¹s Day,
The as-yet-unnamed Bactrian camel male is the offspring of proud parents Mandy, a five-year-old first-time mum, and Dougie, aged six.
The birth follows a long gestation period which has seen the two-humped toddler spending 15 months in the womb.
The new arrival - which increases Knowsley¹s herd of camels to eight - is sure to receive a warm welcome from visitors, according to Safari Park bosses.
General Manager, David Ross, explained: ³The camels are always firm favourites with families because they¹re big animals who are anything but shy. They come right up to cars and people are able to get a really good look at them.
³The good news is that the little fellow is doing well and that his mum is doing a really good job of looking after him, which is great to see in the run-up to Mother¹s Day,² added Mr Ross.
In the wild, Bactrian camels are critically endangered. It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 survive in the deserts of China and Mongolia.
However, across the world there are more than two million domesticated Bactrian camels of the type found in zoological collections like the Safari Park. They have a lifespan of up to 40 years.
Because camels are able to stand extremes of temperature Knowsley keepers do not need to keep the new arrival indoors, and he is currently on view to visitors as part of the park¹s five-mile safari drive.
