London Zoo giraffes - 1836 breeding group

[oflory]

I am a cataloguer at the British Museum and am currently cataloguing prints by George Cruikshank.

I have come across a print of the breeding group of giraffes that ZSL acquired in 1836 (or possibly 1836). I was wondering if anyone here knew any further details such as where in Africa they came from, the names of their Eastern keepers e.t.c. In the etching, they seem to be housed in a temporary thatched giraffe house, presumably because the Burton house hadn't been finished!

Any help is much appreciated!


P.s.. Here is a copy of the print: Google Image Result for http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/3166932-25th-june-1836-giraffes-granny-dears-and-other-gettyimages.jpg%3Fv%3D1%26c%3DIWSAsset%26k%3D2%26d%3DKonzDt05cS33Eft9rL4KshAuGC93OqGrVInS4eyvZULKOMlxjA0%252FWeQ4rj0n3WBl

 

[Tim May]

I have come across a print of the breeding group of giraffes that ZSL acquired in 1836 (or possibly 1836). I was wondering if anyone here knew any further details such as where in Africa they came from, the names of their Eastern keepers e.t.c.

These giraffes, three males and a female, arrived in London on 24th May 1836; they were brought to the zoo by a M. Thibaut who had obtained them in Kordofan (in Sudan).

These animals were the founding stock of a successful group of giraffes and descendants of these giraffes survived in the zoo until 1881.

 

[Chlidonias]

more info here: http://www.transcollectorsclub.org/bulletin_previews/articles/06summer_giraffomania.pdf

selected quote:

That England did not have a giraffe of its own after 1829
was viewed as a national disgrace, and the new King, William IV, commissioned
a French trader, Monsieur Thibaut, to search for giraffes for England.
Thibaut captured eight Nubian giraffes in The Sudan. Four survived the journey
to London, and on May 25, 1836, three males and a female, accompanied
by their native handlers and Thibaut arrived at the London Zoo and were set
loose in the Elephant House until a new Giraffe House could be completed in
1837. M. Thibaut was paid the regal sum of 700 Pounds for the animals.
The lone female gave birth to her first offspring in 1839. In subsequent years,
17 offspring were born and these giraffes populated the London Zoo until 1881.
Except for a brief period (1882-1895), London has never been without giraffes
since 1836.

The giraffes names were Zaida, Mabrouk, Selim, and Guib. The names of "their three native attendants" were not noted.

 

[oflory]

Many thanks to both of you! Just the information I needed!