A new giraffe has arrived at Port Lympne. Howletts and Port Lympne - A day out in kent and adopt an animal The latest addition to the 5 strong bachelor herd of giraffes at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in Kent is Jamal, a 3 year old male transferred from Whipsnade on his birthday. This handsome boy will stand out from the herd as Port Lympne's first and only Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata); a subspecies with clearer markings than that of the park's current herd of Rothschild giraffe. Commenting on the new arrival, Paul Beer, Head of the giraffe section at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park said: "We are delighted with the fluidity of Jamal's introduction. He licked the chests' of his contemporaries in a bid to show his submissive status, and this gesture bodes well for his success within the herd" Jamal was an instant hit with his new herd as he took his first tentative steps out of his enclosure. Although Sebastian and Settanta (the two largest males) were more interested in stripping leaves from a nearby branch, they did manage to momentarily turn their attention away from their stomachs to give Jamal a welcome sniff. Jamal joins 2 pure Rothschild giraffes and 3 Rothschild hybrids. Sadly, all subspecies of giraffe are classified as Conservation Dependent, as poaching for the giraffes' pelt, meat and tail has significantly depleted the wild population. For the moment, Jamal as the only Reticulated giraffe, is basking in the glory of being the newest and most unique member of his herd.
