The baby giraffe is a welcome arrival at the National Zoo and Aquarium after her mother's 15-month pregnancy - a long, nervous wait for zoo keepers and staff.

The healthy 15-day-old giraffe was born to mum Mzungu and dad Shaba, bringing the total number of giraffes at the zoo to four. She doesn't have a name yet - a task the zoo is hoping the public can help with.

Senior wildlife keeper Sophie Dentrinos said the calf was coming along in leaps and bounds in terms of her development.

"She's very inquisitive and has been licking everything she can," Ms Dentrinos said.

When the calf was born it fell 1.5 metres to the ground. She was standing within half an hour and running in three days.

Ms Dentrinos said Shaba missed Mzungu when they were separated during labour, which lasted less than one hour.

Shaba and Mzungu became inseparable after arriving at the zoo in 2015. Shaba fell pregnant within two months and gave birth to Kebibi, the first giraffe born at the zoo, in 2016.

The zoo is part of the international breeding program for giraffes, which aims to protect these gentle giants.

It is estimated the total population of giraffes has plummeted by 40 per cent over the past 30 years due to habitat loss and human destruction, including poaching for their meat, tails and pelts.

There are only approximately 111,000 giraffes left in the wild and the species as a whole is now categorised as endangered, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

But this furry little giraffe with a "nice, confident" personality represents a ray of hope for a species that could rebound.

"Mzungu will enter another estrous cycle soon, so we could expect another one in 16 months," Ms Dentrinos said.

The zoo celebrated World Giraffe Day on June 21; an initiative by the foundation to raise awareness about the silent extinction creeping up on our long necked friends.

The zoo will be donating $6000, plus visitor donations, to the cause.

Giraffes are the world's tallest living land mammals and can grow to more than five metres - the height of a two-storey house.

They have tongues capable of grasping objects and can run at speeds of more than 55 kilometres per hour despite their large, lanky frames.

A naming competition for the calf will be held at the giraffe family enclosure during the ACT school holidays starting this weekend, and the winner will be announced on Monday, July 22.

The winner will score a night at Jamala Wildlife Lodge where they can feed the resident bachelor giraffe, Humberkhali (Hummer), from the Giraffe Treehouse balcony.