Here’s a Friday warm fuzzy from Adelaide Zoo!
Take a peek at the zoo’s newest resident, a little one-week-old giraffe calf, tucking into his milk bottle from keepers.
The calf was born at Monarto Safari Park to 17-year-old Thula last Thursday, and while initial signs of bonding were promising, unfortunately Thula had not fed the calf within the first 24 hours.
With hot weather approaching, teams across both sites made the decision to move the calf to Adelaide Zoo to give him the best welfare outcome.
Senior Keeper of Ungulates, Arliah Hayward, said since he arrived, the leggy lad has gone from strength to strength.
“The little man is doing really well, he has impressed all of us,” she said.
“He took really quickly to his first keeper Matt and we’re blown away by how smoothly this little guy has bonded with us.
“At the moment he is having five feeds a day and he’s taken them all really well.
“The two girls, Nolean and Kimya, check on him a lot and they’ve had a little bit of mesh-to-mesh contact, so we’re excited to see him get out and about with the girls soon.
“We’re so thankful to everyone for their ongoing support – as a not-for-profit your help allows us to care for species like this little one and continue our vital conservation work.”
The calf will not be visible to the public until keepers are comfortable that he is strong enough to join 18-year-old Kimya and his sister, three-year-old Nolean in the giraffe yard. Zoos SA will announce naming details in the coming weeks.
While many people believe the giraffe are abundant in the wild, the species is sadly vulnerable to extinction.
Each time you visit Adelaide Zoo or Monarto Safari Park you are helping support the conservation of this beautiful species both here and in the wild with partners like the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
To find out more please visit, adelaidezoo.com.au.
