Masai giraffe in (American) zoos? History, founders, numbers.

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Nikola Chavkosk

Well-Known Member
Since as kid, giraffe was one of my favourite animals (that time don't knew a lot of species of animals).

Masai giraffe is very intriguing, and for me one of the most beautifull subspecies of giraffes.
As we know, there is numerous self-sustainable captive population in North America (mostly in the US), but not in Europe, nor in Australia. They look very beautifull in US zoos.

I would love to know:
-How numerous was the founder population in American zoos?
-When was the last import from Africa, to US (or Canada) of Masai giraffe(s), and when was the first import in US?
-What is the current (aproximately) demography in North America?
-Is the captive population in America enough geneticaly diverse?
-Why the subspecies was not imported in Europe in enough number for establishing sustainable captive population?
-How numerous was the captive population in Europe?
-Where the Massai giraffes went from Switzerland (Basel)?
-Any other holder in the World outside Africa and North America?
-Any future holders in Europe?
-Europe too had pretty a lot of former holders, about 30, I am wondering why they have gone from European collections?

Thank you. :)
And what is your favourite giraffe subspecies (West African is gorgeous)?
 
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To save your own precious time, other members here have to spend to give you all these informations ?
 
Bib Fortuna said:
To save your own precious time, other members here have to spend to give you all these informations ?
Click to expand...

No, if some zoochatter already know that information. I didn't wrote that.
After all it is just discussion and some zoochatters may be willing to share their information and inform us.
 
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As I counted from the link Chlidonias provided, there were at least 23 imports directly from Africa to USA, from 1929-1952, and then some reimports (8-12 in 1952-1958) via Germany (from Africa), to USA, and again direct imports (6-8) from Africa to USA (in 1954-1958).

To be continued... I reached till 389th G. c. tippelskrichi on studbook listings in the find tool window.
 
Nikola Chavkosk said:
Since as kid, giraffe was one of my favourite animal (that time don't knew a lot of species of animals).

Masai giraffe is very intriguing, and for me one of the most beautifull subspecies of giraffes.
As we know, there is numerous self-sustainable captive population in North America (mostly in the US), but not in Europe, nor in Australia. They look very beautifull in US zoos.

I would like to know:
-How numerous was the founder population in American zoos?
-When was the last import from Africa, to US (or Canada) of Masai giraffe(s), and when was the first import in US?
-What is the current (aproximately) demography in North America?
-Is the captive population in America enough geneticaly diverse?
-Why the subspecies was not imported in Europe in enough number for establishing sustainable captive population?
-How numerous was the captive population in Europe?
-Where the Massai giraffes went from Switzerland (Basel)?
-Any other holder in the World outside Africa and North America?
-Any future holders in Europe?
-Europe too had pretty a lot of former holders, about 30, I am wondering why they have gone from European collections?

Thank you. :)
And what is your favourite giraffe subspecies (West African is gorgeous)?
Click to expand...

I can asnwer only your last two questions :

1.No future plans for Masai giraffes in europe.

2.The population of them was too small, many Masai giraffes died too young, the beedings results were poor. Some zoo have bred hybrids with masai giraffes. After most zoos have changed in the late 70tys to Reticulated or Rothschild-Giraffes, only a few zoos left with Masai, but with the exception of basle,none of them bred sucesfully. So the final downfall of masai Giraffes in europe was only a question of time, because it wasn't impossible to bring in new animals from the States or Japan, but if so, if would have made so sense-almost every zoo in europe has changed to other subspecies, and the group at basle Zoo was hopleless inbred.Masai Giraffes are not endagered, in contrast to Reticulated and Rothschild.

3.Try to contact the Studbook keeper; maybe he can help you to answer the other questions.
 
Thank you Bib Fortuna for info.

Continuied ...

Also there were imports from Africa to Europe, like four Masai giraffes in 1966 (three in UK, one in Germany), or four in Dvur Kralove in 1967, from Africa, and again five in the same zoo in 1969, and 10! again in Dvur Kralove from Africa, in 1970 (last imports from Africa in Europe).

Other imports in US included 2 wild imported in US in 1967, again 2 wild imports in USA from Africa in 1982, and one (female) in 1983 in Los Angeles zoo, wich was the last import from the Africa, in the US (till 31 december 2009).

And last wild import from Africa ceased with the import of one in Ryad (Saudi Arabia), in 1989 (data till 31 december 2009).

In 2009, in North America were born at least 12 calfes (birth ownership in the studbook - I don't know what exactly would mean, but seems that's not a birth), some of wich didn't survived for a long time.

Seems that collaboration for breeding in North America was more coherent than that in Europe before 1970s, resulting with the current captive population in North America.
 
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It turns out, that at least 45 founder Masai giraffes captured from Africa (1929-1983) (and smaller part of them (8-14) re-imported from Europe), formed (if we assume that all bred at least once) the current captive population in North America.
 
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Kifaru Bwana said:
Data till 2009. So, it has somehow become past tense for a current history.
Click to expand...
yes it is the 2009 studbook, which is perfectly adequate for the purposes of the North American questions asked - all of which can be answered from the data:

Nikola Chavkosk said:
-How numerous was the founder population in American zoos?
-When was the last import from Africa, to US (or Canada) of Masai giraffe(s), and when was the first import in US?
-What is the current (aproximately) demography in North America?
-Is the captive population in America enough geneticaly diverse?
Click to expand...
 
I remember this video, I watched maybe before 4 years, I taught all these young Masai giraffes were imported from Africa. But since the video is uploaded in 2008, it is clear that they are from other zoo (when according to studbook, last import from Africa into the US was in 1983, data till 31 December 2009):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUit8pE1z1o

Any thoughts on these 5 young Masai giraffes?
 
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