Do you think JAZA's Masai Giraffe can be included in the SSP?

V

Veno

Well-Known Member
Do you think it is possible to give surplus individuals of AZA's Masai giraffe to Japan?
Or is it possible to exchange Masai Giraffe in JAZA and AZA?
Japan can import giraffe from the U.S. easily, but will the U.S. be able to import giraffe from Japan?
The Masai giraffe population in Japan is (6.2) and all are young individuals.
It is genetically pure.
Some individuals have inherited wild-derived genes and continue to breed. The problem is that most of the population is male and survival is difficult. However, they have not yet fallen into serious inbreeding.
I believe that it would be beneficial to both parties if the Masai giraffes in Japan were included in the SSP, but I would like to hear your views.
 
Where did the Japanese Masai giraffes come from? If they were initially surplus animals from the US then I would not expect any animals bred in Japan to have valur to the US.
 
PossumRoach said:
Where did the Japanese Masai giraffes come from? If they were initially surplus animals from the US then I would not expect any animals bred in Japan to have valur to the US.
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While there are certainly some individuals of U.S. origin, some of JAZA's Masai giraffes have inherited genes from individuals imported from Africa, and these individuals are almost certainly unrelated to AZA's Masai giraffes.
 
birdsandbats said:
I doubt that the AZA will be sending any surplus Masai Giraffes to Japan, given there is no surplus in the first place.
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There are certainly some surplus males in the population but it does not look like this population needs more males.

Veno said:
Thanks for your comment.
Is the Masai Giraffe SSP in as tough a situation as the Okapi?
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It’s definitely in a much better situation that the Okapi SSP but there still isn’t enough female surplus to be sending individuals to other countries.
 
Veno said:
Thanks for your comment.
Is the Masai Giraffe SSP in as tough a situation as the Okapi?
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No. The situation isn't really bad at all, to my understanding. It's that nearly all AZA zoos holding generic giraffes are trying to switch to Masai, so new Masai that get born get sent to AZA zoos so they can make the switch. I can't imagine they'd be exporting any until most or all AZA zoos that want to make that switch have been able to.
 
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