Does anyone know anything about the two giraffes? Are they of a particular sub-species or generic? And of they are generic, what are the longer term plans for giraffes at London? Thanks!
There are currently 2 hybrid females and there are plans to add 2 more in the near future. They are called Cracker and Elish. As they are hybid they will never be bred from.
London Zoo have a long history of breeding Giraffes, but from mixed race stock. One or both of these may be London-bred though I have a feeling 'Crackers' may have come from somewhere like Windsor SP.
I understand the need to keep hyrbid giraffes in a non-breeding situation but I was quite disspaointed by the girrafes at london (and quite sure there are other hyrbid giraffes that could be available to them). Although the enclosure was of reasonable size and the indoor areas good (particularly for the public with indoor benches and lots of visitor space) but it was a bit underwhelming to just see two girrafes. especially seeing as they have periscopes and a walkway...all this for two girrafes, the overall effect is one of dissapointment. So at the end of my babbling I feel that london either need to boost the numbers of the giraffes or replace them with an equally impressive species (for example rhino or hippo) Also does anyone know what the plans are for giraffes at London in the future?
I think it was crackers who chewed off one ear of her last two calves. I am pretty sure no calves were bred following this. At one point last year I thought ZSL held three, so possibly an old female has left or died as I'm not convinced the young animal has been there for more than a year or so. The original idea was for INTO AFRICA to show a mixed paddock of zebra and giraffe, but they have not mixed well and the zebra are now usually only admitted to the giraffe paddock at night when the giraffes are shut in. Similarly mixing antelope and meerkats hasn't lasted in that enclosure. I don't know why the off-exhibit paddock at the back is not made part of the giraffe enclosure.
Where is this? I can't picture it. A little of topic but in the same area, why is the tapir house never open?
London Zoo is part of the Giraffe EEP and it has been consciously decided to concentrate on breeding pure-bred giraffe only. In order to achieve this goal in the shortest possible time-frame those institutions holding hybrid giraffe will do so for the foreseeable future thereby increasing space for breeding of pure-bred giraffe subspecies instead. By accomodating 2 more hybrid giraffe females and NOT BREEDING London Zoo contributes directly towards that goal. Besides, Whipsnade Zoo is holding a pure-bred group of reticulateds. ZSL thus achieves double whammy. Exhibit-wise, I find your suggestions to house rhinos or hippos woefully inadequate and unrealistic. The space limitations of both House and available outside exhibit space do not lend this House to accomodating anything other. I would however ... advocate that ZSL/London Zoo open up the entire area for an African style savannah.
The paddock which is off-show is to the right of the giraffe house as you view the enclosure from the moat. It fits in between their house and the tapir house. For years it held a group of Arabian gazelle, I think it was boarded up some time after INTO AFRICA was launched and currently holds a single male anoa, which can be seen in the inside quarters of the giraffe house at times. The tapir house has been closed since the calf was born, actually a commendable act as it has been reared successfully. There is nothing to see in the left-hand stalls of the tapir house these days anyway. I really think it is cruel to hold a grazing animal such as zebra on the small plot of land that is the cotton terraces. The above post is right that the giraffe exhibit would approach something decent if opened up to incorporate the zebra areas, moats and off-show paddock. Some mature trees may need to be protected from being completely browsed but the habitat would actually be very suitable for a group of 4 adult giraffe.
I've often thought about that. I was at the zoo on Sunday, and was trying to imagine it- and whether it would be possible. I couldn't see why not, although as you say the trees in the current zebra enclosure would get a bit of a bashing. I think the zebras at Regent's Park were going to be mixed with the giraffe at some point weren't they, but the zebras were to vicious? That may just be zoochat rumours, I'm not certain, but it would explain their slightly compromised situation at present.
I don't know whether they were aggressive towards the giraffe or whether it was just the fact that there isn't enough space to avoid being kicked by a giraffe. As the trees are big enough for the giraffes to browse the branches they can reach now, I don't see why they couldn't be included in a paddock extension. It really isn't a large area as it stands currently. Very few UK collections exhibit their giraffe in this way these days.
I think the 3rd female your all thinking of was named "Dawn" She was a masai giraffe and wa sold so she is most likely dead
