0.1 Kiraka at Auckland is pregnant and is due in a few weeks - reported on the news thread and now by the zoo: Pregnant giraffe Kiraka expecting soon! | Auckland Zoo News
Australasian Giraffe Population
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
0.1 Scarlett at Monarto has given birth to her third calf - a male. Calf was quick to suckle so fingers crossed she raises this one successfully. This is Monarto’s 58th giraffe calf: Baby Boom! We're Celebrating Giraffe and Spotted Hyena Births - Monarto Safari Park
3.0 David, Jesse and Wayo have been transferred to Werribee Open Range Zoo as mentioned in the news thread. David and Jesse are from Australia Zoo while Wayo was born at Dubbo. They will be introduced to 4.0 Amani, Ajali, Jelani and Harold. There was no mentioned of 1.0 Kona when I messaged the zoo recently. This give Werribee 7.0 giraffe currently: Werribee Open Range Zoo welcomes three new little Giraffes
Update from Dubbo today: 1.0 Unnami (the previous breeding bull) is now housed in the mixed savannah, with 1.0 Mtoto as the current breeding bull in the herd with the females and calves.
1.0 Unnami produced 28 calves - the zoo chemically castrated him after 26 calves, but he sired 2 additional calves following this anyway, hence why he was physically removed from the female herd and a new bull brought in.
This could explain Unnami potentially being Ebo's sire (as well as his mother, Kito's, sire). The staff member I spoke to wasn't 100% sure, but reckoned it was likely considering the timeframes.
1.0 Unnami produced 28 calves - the zoo chemically castrated him after 26 calves, but he sired 2 additional calves following this anyway, hence why he was physically removed from the female herd and a new bull brought in.
This could explain Unnami potentially being Ebo's sire (as well as his mother, Kito's, sire). The staff member I spoke to wasn't 100% sure, but reckoned it was likely considering the timeframes.
That could explain why Ebo was selected for castration/transfer to Taronga, effectively removing him from the breeding programme.
With contraception available to use on female giraffes, I’m not sure why the open range zoos are breeding so many giraffe calves. It’s not essential to maintain the reproductive health of the cow as it is in elephants, rhinoceros and zebra; and it’s of little to no benefit to social development.
Even if Australian zoos don’t wish to import giraffes via New Zealand; Australia’s Giraffe IRA will likely be processed after the Hippopotamus IRA, potentially providing an opportunity to import before the decade’s out. This species can easily reach their mid-20’s, so it’d pay to cease breeding/inbreeding in anticipation of new founders coming in imo.
My guess would be due to having better displays. The larger giraffe herds make for better and more engaging displays, which are not overly expensive to feed.
I have wondered for a long time. Whether our lack of keeping them to seperate conspecifics is down to how much argument is over giraffe classification. New genetic analysis doesn't even group Rothschild as its own species/subspecies anymore. Tho reticulated are still regarded as there own seperate species.
0.1 Kiraka at Auckland gave birth to a female calf on Saturday: Auckland Zoo giraffe Kiraka gives birth to a healthy 6-foot calf | Auckland Zoo News
It's a shame TWPZ could not import a new bull via NZ since they are open to importation, there are excess bulls available in overseas zoos.
At this point, I would assume Australia is waiting for the completion of it’s own IRA. Adding 12 months of quarantine (growing time) to a species which is usually transferred between countries as a juvenile isn’t ideal.
What might have been better is for a New Zealand zoo to import giraffe from outside the region and send their first generation offspring to Australia.
1.0 Ndale at Hamilton Zoo has died following a fall derived from complications with anaesthesia: Log in to Facebook | Facebook
0.1 Scarlett's male calf at Monarto has been named Makumbo - reported on social media.
A few updates from their respective threads:
- As many as six females are pregnant at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Sire is 1.0 Mtoto from Mogo and they are due before the end of the year.
- 1.0 Matumi is moving back to Monarto Safari Park from Adelaide Zoo. He will be back at the park before the end of winter. This leaves Adelaide with 0.2 Kimya and Nolean.
- 1.0 Jabali has moved from Auckland Zoo to Hamilton Zoo joining their ageing bachelor duo.
0.1 Korongo (b. 2005 at Monarto) at Monarto Safari Park gave birth to a 0.1 calf last month - reported on their FB page.
2.0 have arrived at Monarto Safari Park. 1.0 Matumi and 1.0 Themba have moved into the new Wild Africa precinct from Adelaide Zoo and National Zoo and Aquarium, Canberra respectively.
Another calf has been born at Monarto Safari Park to 0.1 Mkali (b. 2019 at Monarto) and 1.0 Inkosi (b. 2019 at Perth) on August 24: Paws on board: baby boom at Monarto Safari Park - Monarto Safari Park
1.0 calf has been born at Taronga Western Plains to 1.0 Mtoto (b. 2017 at Mogo) and 0.1 Mvita (b. 2011 at Dubbo). The calf was born two weeks ago - reported on the news thread.
0.1 Unyezi has been moved from Monarto to Adelaide. The one-year-calf has moved there to form a female trio at Adelaide - reported on social media.
A new breeder for giraffes in the region. Hunter Valley welcomed a calf last night. Sire would be 1.0 Shingo (b. 2019 at Dubbo) and dam wasn't mentioned but would be either 0.1 Kebibi (b. 2016 at Canberra) or 0.1 Sophie (b. 2018 at Australia Zoo). Reported on FB but awaiting further details.
Further information. 0.1 Kebibi at Hunter Valley gave birth to a 1.0 calf - reported on social media.
Two more calves at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. 0.1 Asmara (b. 2006 at Dubbo) had a female calf on 14th September and 0.1 Zane (b. 2016 at Dubbo) had a male calf on 20th September - reported on social media.