Auckland Zoo Pregnant Giraffe

Auckland Zoo's only female giraffe Rukiya is pregnant!

It has been kept quiet until recently when an update was sent out to FOTZ members.

She is due within the next couple of months I think.

Father would be of course the zoo's only other giraffe Zabulu.

Both of Rukiya's previous calves Forrest and the unnamed calf that died shortly after birth were both male. All fingers are crossed for a female this time!

If anyone has anymore info about Rukiya's pregnancy (ie. due date) I would love to hear it.

Cant wait to have a new little (well not really) baby running around the pridelands.

Also very soon (if not already) to be part of the Giraffe/Zebra/Ostrich side of the pridelands are two new female ostriches to join Fluffy Auckland's lone male ostrich.

 

Fantastic news is Rukiya a hybrid or a pure Rothschild? Where are the ostrich coming from and are they planning on importing anymore giraffe or is Rukiya there only female for now?

 

Rukiya is hybrid. Good news to have another calf. The zos giraffe population certainly took a downturn in numbers. Hopefully it will be female.

 

Cant remember where the ostrich are from I would have to check. Rukiya is the only female and i have been told there are no plans to bring in any more for now. Hopefully this calf is a female otherwise i guess its another male for the bachelor herd in hamilton.

 

I think Hamilton are full up at the moment with 6 or 7 giraffe.

 

i did see that there were quite a few when I was there. hmm maybe if the calf is a boy it will join Forrest in Aussie

 

How is the calf doing now?

Also, is Zabulu pure or also a hybrid?

 

Zabulu is a pure Rothschild (born 1998 at Orana)

 

Is he related to any of the pure Aussie Rothschilds?

 

Oh he certainly is, too much so.
Zabulus Parents are Harold and Sarita.
Saritas parents were Jaffa and Celeste.
Jaffa and Celeste were also the parents of Anthony (former breeding male at Perth and father of breeding male at Melbourne). and also parents of Misha (breeding female at Perth) Ijumma, the breeding male at Mogo is also a son of Harold.

 

does any one no what the 2 new zebras r called that arived from hamilton wicht brings the zoo to 6 zebras any one no the names

 

I'm not sure of their names but I'm assuming they're females. The herd also contains stallion Machonoh (2003), mares Shilo (1992) and Itika (1992) and Itika's male foal Unyazi (2010). Perhaps someone could email the zoo and find out.