Media Release
18th July 2012
Dublin Zoo Welcomes New Giraffe Calf
Dublin Zoo is celebrating the birth of a female Rothschild giraffe, born June 27 th. The calf
stands tall at six foot and takes after her mother Maeve with her light tan coat. This is
Maeve’s second calf at Dublin Zoo as she gave birth to Arria nearly two years ago.
The giraffe calf made her first appearance in the African Savanna just three days after
she was born. She joins a herd of ten giraffes of which six are pure Rothschild giraffes,
including her sister Arria.
Helen Clarke-Bennet, team leader of the African Plains said, “She is a beautiful, strong
and healthy calf. She is very confident for her age as most calves would not join the herd
until a week after they are born, however she is has integrated very well. We are
delighted with our new addition.”
The Rothschild giraffe is one of the most threatened of the nine giraffe sub-species.
Rothschild male giraffes grow to six metres in height and can weigh over 2000kg, fewer
than 700 now live in the wild*. Their coat is a distinct mix of dark patches that are
broken up by bright cream channels.
The youngest member of the giraffe family is yet to be named and keepers are asking
the public to provide suggestions for names based on her African origin. The keepers
offered some tips on names they like to choose. They said, “We like names that are
original, based on the animal’s country of origin and tell us something about the
newborn.”
Name suggestions will be accepted can be submitted through Facebook
www.facebook.com/dublinzoo and the in Learning & Discovery Centre at Dublin Zoo.
Facts about giraffes:
o Giraffes spend much of their day feeding so nature has provided them with dark
blue tongues to prevent them from getting sunburned
o Each giraffe has its own unique pattern of coat markings like finger prints for
humans
o Giraffes are the tallest of all living land mammals
o Giraffes sleep standing up - but only for five minutes at a time, as they remain
alert for predators, and a total of about two hours a day.
o The species has just seven vertebrae in its neck - the same as a human being or a
mouse - despite having one of the longest in the animal kingdom.
*Sourced: The Rothschild Giraffe project and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Kelley Cousins or Keira Doyle
Pembroke Communications
Tel: 00 353 1 649 6490 / 086 269 5953 or 00 353 1 679 6335 / 086 269 4460
[email protected]
Notes to Editor:
Dublin Zoo
Dublin Zoo is a not for profit organisation, registered charity number CHY 2964. Since Dublin Zoo
first opened its doors in 1830, its 28 hectares has been transformed with the support of the Irish
public and now attracts over 1 million visitors a year. All funds received by Dublin Zoo including
gate takings, donations and sponsorships are directly invested into the day to day management,
running and up keep of Dublin Zoo’s animals, their habitats and conservation projects.
Modern Zoos, like Dublin Zoo, adhere to strict codes of practice in animal welfare laid down by
European and Global Associations. Animals at Dublin Zoo therefore live enriched lives in natural
social groups in order to encourage breeding and raising young. Through such organisations,
partnerships among Zoo’s and other kindred institutions, leads to opportunities for co-operative
research in conservation, biological and veterinary sciences.
Dublin Zoo is managed by caring, qualified and accredited zoo professionals who devote their
lives to the welfare of animals at Dublin Zoo. Dublin Zoo works in partnership with zoos
worldwide to conserve bio-diversity on earth and financially supports a variety of conservation
projects supporting great apes, tigers, rhinos, golden lion tamarins, African wild dogs and eagles.
Dublin Zoo is easily accessible by bus, LUAS, and train and is open everyday with the exception
of Christmas Day and St. Stephen’s Day (26th December). Admission prices and opening times
can all be found on the website. Dublin Zoo is accessible by the less-abled and manual wheel
chairs are available on request.