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.
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)
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
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
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.
