History of Werribee Open Zoo's Giraffe

[Jambo]

Does anyone have any information on the history of WORZ's Giraffe?

At the moment they have 5.0 Giraffe.

Harold (2009) Arrived 2010 from Monarto Zoo
Kona (2008) Arrived 2009 from Monarto Zoo
Ajali (AJ) (2014) Arrived 2015 from Taronga Western Plains Zoo?
Armani (2008) Arrived 2009 from Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Jelani (2010) Arrived 2011 from Auckland Zoo

They also had a male giraffe, Thembi (Armani's half-brother), who died in December 2018.

Kona and Harold are half-brothers, and the grandchildren of Tony (born 1992 at Orana) who sired 7 calves at Perth, before being retired to WORZ in 2000. He died there in 2009.

 

[Zoofan15]

Does anyone have any information on the history of WORZ's Giraffe?

Werribee Open Range Zoo's first five giraffe were imported from Melbourne Zoo between 1984 and 1991:

Fred (M)
Born at Melbourne Zoo 07/04/1981
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 05/12/1984
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 28/10/1989
Sire: William; Dam: Anna

Donald (M)
Born at Melbourne Zoo 04/09/1982
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 18/12/1984
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 02/08/1994
Sire: William; Dam: Anna

Mel (M)
Born at Melbourne Zoo 09/08/1985
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 19/02/1987
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 20/07/1989
Sire: Finnie; Dam: Anna

Mac (M)
Born at Melbourne Zoo 11/08/1988
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 07/05/1990
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 25/08/2006
Sire: Finnie; Dam: Anna

Jamala (M)
Born at Melbourne Zoo 03/05/1990
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 09/04/1991
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 10/11/1996
Sire: Finnie; Dam: Miranda (daughter of Anna)

 

[Zoofan15]

The next arrivals were 1.1 young giraffe from New Zealand:

Oskar (M)
Born at Auckland Zoo 23/03/1994
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 06/12/1994
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 31/05/2002
Sire: Tsavo; Dam: Kay

Zawadi (F)
Born at Wellington Zoo 25/01/1995
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 19/12/1995
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 17/10/1996
Sire: Ricky; Dam: Tisa

I'm guessing the plan was to create a breeding herd with Oskar and Zawadi; seperate from the established bachelor herd. Zawadi's mother, Tisa, was born at Melbourne Zoo to Finnie and Anna (Anna had 16 calves); so she was closely related to the five bulls from Melbourne Zoo. Oskar was a more distant relation. These plans were obviously abandoned when Zawadi died ten months after she arrived, as Zawadi remains the only female giraffe to have ever been held at Werribee Open Range Zoo.

Following Zawadi's death, they continued as a holder of surplus bulls; with three more arriving between 1998 and 2000:

Kinta (M)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 08/05/1997
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 23/04/1998
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 17/04/2013
Sire: Hiram; Dam: Georgina

Anthony (M)
Born at Perth Zoo 17/12/1991
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 12/04/2000
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 14/07/2010
Sire: Jaffa; Dam: Celeste

Jandamarra (M)
Born at Perth Zoo 14/11/1996
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 22/10/2000
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 17/05/2002
Sire: Anthony; Dam: Marama

 

[Zoofan15]

The most recent arrivals were six bulls imported between 2009 and 2011:

Thembi (M)
Born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo 06/12/2007
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 01/05/2009
Died at Werribee Open Range Zoo 14/12/2018
Sire: Nakura; Dam: Mutangi

Amani (M)
Born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo 23/12/2007
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 01/05/2009
Sire: Nakura; Dam: Tuli

Harold (M)
Born at Monarto Zoo 19/09/2008
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 29/12/2009
Sire: Tambo; Dam: Rafiki

Kona (M)
Born at Monarto Zoo 31/01/2008
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 17/02/2010
Sire: Tambo; Dam: Malaika

Ajali (M)
Born at Perth Zoo 29/05/2010
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 20/04/2011
Sire: Armani; Dam: Misha

Jelani (M)
Born at Auckland Zoo 05/03/2010
Arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo 10/09/2011
Sire: Zabulu; Dam: Rukiya

 

[Tafin]

So Oskar and Jelani were both from Auckland Zoo but weren't related?

 

[Zoofan15]

So Oskar and Jelani were both from Auckland Zoo but weren't related?

Not closely, no.

Oskar’s sire (Tsavo from Honolulu Zoo) was unrelated to Jelani’s sire (Zabulu from Orana Wildlife Park).

Oskar’s dam (Kay from Auckland Zoo) and Jelani’s dam (Rukiya from Wellington Zoo) both descend from Taronga Zoo stock and would be distantly related.