Gi raff e Co mpl ex
Cost: $1. 1 milli on
Opened: 1981
Desi gned to rese mbl e an Afri can hut, the Gi raff e Co mpl ex i s made of fl uted bl ock
constructi on wi t h a shake shi ngl e roof. Built i n 1981, the $1. 1 milli on buil di ng has
15, 000 squar e f eet of fl oor space. Al ong wi t h gi raff es, there are s mall ani mal s and
vari ous bi rds on di spl ay i nsi de the Gi raff e Co mpl ex.
The Buil di ng
I nsi de the Gi raff e Co mpl ex, uni que, l ong-range i nfrared heati ng war ms t he buil di ng.
Mer cury vapor l a mps pr ovi de suppl e ment ary li ght, whil e windows and skyli ghts
pr ovi de nat ural li ghti ng. The mai n vi ewi ng wi ndows meas ure 17 f eet x 11 f eet each
and wei gh appr oxi mat el y one ton each. The 32 f oot hi gh ceili ng i s li ned wi t h cedar.
Gr ooved concr et e fl oori ng has sili con car bi de added f or tracti on and t o hel p keep
the gi raff es f eet tri mmed. Its sli ght sl ope speeds dail y cl eani ng and drai nage.
Ot her saf ety f eat ures i ncl ude squeeze gat es to restrai n the gi raff es f or routi ne
medi cal treat ments and a crane f or lifti ng a fall en ani mal. Food baskets, at a hei ght
of ni ne f eet, can be fill ed from an el evat ed keeper wal k way. Two doors, 5 f eet x 16
f eet pr ovi de access to the corral and vel dt areas. A second hol di ng area i s not on publi c displ ay. A f ence
wi t h a gat e di vi des the vi ewi ng area to separat e gi raff es. Ni ne i ndoor pens enci rcl e the giraff e encl osur e,
three of whi ch are open t o publi c vi ew. These are used f or wi nt er hol di ng of s mall er hoof st ock and bi rds.
Doors to these pens are the sa me wi dt h as the hall ways. When opened t hey bl ock the hall ways,
facilitati ng move ment of ani mal s bet ween the pens. Fl oors sl ope towar d the hall way drai ns.
I nstall ed i n 2010, i s a scal e that is appr oxi mat el y 4 f oot by 8 f oot, wei ghi ng about 1, 000 pounds and i s
used t o wei gh the gi raff es about every one to t wo weeks. It is fl ush wi th the rest of the fl oor so the
gi raff e don’ t even know t hey ar e standi ng on it. It has a di gital readout that i s above the keeper cat wal k
so staff can see it from down bel ow as they are movi ng the ani mal s around and on the scal e.
Ani mal Exhi bi ts
An i ndoor avi ary meas uri ng 20 f eet x 40 f eet, wit h a 20 f oot ceili ng at its hi ghest poi nt i s feat ur ed wi t hi n
the Gi raff e Co mpl ex. It is enclosed by pi ano wi re, spaced 1/2 i nch apart. I ndi vi duall y strung, tensi on may
be adj ust ed separat el y on each wi re. A strea m, fl owi ng from a wat erf all to a s mall pond, is re-circul ated.
The l arge tree was taken from the Zoo gr ounds, hal ved and holl owed out, and bol ted toget her around a
support bea m. It pr ovi des nesti ng and roosti ng sites.
Afri can Vel dt
An out door moat meas uri ng 25 f eet x 120 f eet cont ai ns a smal l isl and and li nks the buil ding t o the Afri can
Vel dt, an out door past ur e desi gned t o si mul ate the Afri can envi ron ment f or a vari ety of Afri can ani mal s.
The moat hol ds 75, 000 gall ons of wat er and i s 6 feet at its deepest. Afri can pengui ns are on di spl ay i n the
moat and it is frequentl y used as a wat er hol e by ostri ches, cr own cranes, gi raff es and bi rds fromt he
vel dt.