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Endereço: Auckland Zoo
Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland
Private Bag, Grey Lynn – Auckland – New Zealand
aucklandzoo@akcity.govt.nz – www.aucklandzoo.co.nz
O Zoológico de Auckland não é muito grande, mas é bem dividido e fácil de se percorrer. Tem a ave kiwi, claro e, logo na entrada à direita, fica o sítio das girafas – endereço também de mais de 600 animais que o zoológico abriga.
Sua área inclui uma floresta onde os macacos andam soltos, uma floresta nativa da Nova Zelândia, uma ilha tropical e uma savana africana completa, com girafa, zebra e leões, chamada de “Pridelands”.
Esse zoológico é um dos membros que contribui com o programa de reprodução de girafa em cativeiro. O sêmen de “Zabulu” (um puro exemplar de girafa da subespécie baringo) tem sido encaminhado aos zoos de Perth e Taronga, ambos na Austrália, para assistir ao programa de reprodução.
Para estimular a atividade dos animais em cativeiro, na hora do “lanche”, os tratadores desse zoológico oferecem um novo método de alimentação: colocam os alimentos em uma espécie de “armadilha”, um esconderijo, exercitando o instinto do animal...
As quatro fotografias são do site oficial e mostram a subespécie Rothschild.
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Abril de 2003
No Giraffe Valley, em Pridelands, o plantel de girafas consiste de 3 girafas adultas (as fêmeas “Kiri” e “Kay”, o macho “Zabulu”) e 3 girafas jovens.
As jovens inclui uma fêmea de 1 ano e meio “Rukiya” (híbrida, nasceu em Wellington 09/2001 e chegou aqui em setembro de 2002), e os machos de 4 meses “Masamba” (que significa folhas) e “Jabari” (que significa bravura, coração forte).
Com pouca diferença de idade, esses jovens são irmãos de “Kiri” e “Kay”, filhos de “Zabulu”. Nasceram com 1,8 metros de altura. Mamaram até os 6 meses de idade. Alimentam-se de pequenas porções de frutas e vegetais.
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Ambas as fotos mostram Li alimentando com salsão a girafa fêmea “Kay” (by Nelson, 12/2003).
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Setembro de 2004
O plantel de girafas consiste de uma fêmea jovem “Rukiya”, uma fêmea adulta “Kay”, um macho adulto “Zabulu” e o filhote macho “Ndale” (nasceu em agosto de 2004).
“Ndale” (a Malawi word meaning prankster) is described by keepers as being full of energy and a bit of a “Houdini”. “One minute he's right there in front of you, the next he's nowhere in sight”, says Pridelands Team Leader Michael Batty.
GROWING UP...AND UP! Mother's milk is the mainstay for a newborn calf in its first few months, though calves will also often nibble or browse. A calf is usually weaned from its mother around eight months. An adult male can grow to over five metres tall!
15/09/2004: A fast easy birth, a mother-to-be's dream, was a reality for Auckland Zoo mum Kay last month when she delivered a healthy baby boy in just 20-minutes, following her 15-month pregnancy. The same height and weight as your average catwalk model, the six-foot newborn giraffe calf was strutting his stuff within another 20 minutes and running in less than two hours. Keepers have aptly named this fast, feisty boy Ndale – a Ngoni name from Malawi meaning prankster. “He's incredibly quick on his feet and a bit of a Houdini – one minute he's right there in front of you, the next he's nowhere in sight”, says Pridelands Team Leader Michael Batty. Bad winter weather, and noise from construction of the extended Pridelands boardwalk (as part of the Zoo's new front entry development) has required keeping mum and her calf in the giraffe house at the back of the exhibit's area. However, with improved weather and the Pridelands boardwalk extension due to be completed this Friday (September 17), visitors can expect to see both Kay and Ndale out in Giraffe Valley most days from this Saturday. The birth of “Ndale” brings the Zoo's giraffe herd to four.
Com a nova girafinha chamada “Ndale”, um macho que nasceu em agosto de 2004 (filhote da Kay), duas outras girafas machos adolescentes (“Masamba” e “Jabari”), que moravam em Auckland, foram transferidas para o Zoológico de Hamilton.
Veja no link: www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/aucklandzoo/news_main.php#giraffesmove
Sobre o bebê: www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/aucklandzoo/news_main.php
By Li, setembro de 2004.
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Ensaio fotográfico de Li, outubro de 2005.
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Zoo's giraffe mum Kay finally makes it a girl (novidade recebida em 25/07/2007)
Auckland zookeepers arrived at work this morning to a new addition to the family a giraffe calf, the first female giraffe born at the zoo in 15 years.
Experienced mum Kay and the leggy newcomer have undergone vet checks and are in good health. The new arrival was on its feet soon after birth. Weighing in at approximately 55kgs and standing 1.8m (6ft), the newborn calf appears confident and relaxed.
She is the third offspring of 21-year-old Kay and nine-year-old dad Zabulu, and a competition is underway to name her.
“It was wonderful to come into work this morning and see two healthy female giraffe one mum and one baby. We knew Kay's birth was imminent and had been monitoring her carefully. As with all her other deliveries, she took it all in her stride. She is a great mum, bonding really well with her calf, and doing all the right things”, says Auckland Zoo Pridelands team leader, Michael Batty.
The birth of a female calf is significant to the Australasian region, as she provides valuable genetic stock for future breeding. “After Kay's five previous pregnancies, all resulting in males, we were hoping she would produce a female”, says Michael.
Mum and daughter will be gradually integrated with other giraffe, zebra and ostrich in the giraffe paddock, and visitors can expect to see them out and about strutting their stuff sometime within the next few weeks.
The zoo is calling on members of the public to help name the new female giraffe, with the winner getting a behind-the-scenes tour of Pridelands, including the chance to meet the giraffe they named.
How to enter the naming competition:
* Email aucklandzoo@aucklandcity.govt.nz by Friday 10 August with your suggested
name with subject line “Zoo giraffe naming competition”
* include the meaning or translation of your suggested name a name of cultural
significance is recommended
* include contact name, address and phone number
* the winning name will be selected on 13 August and the winner notified by
phone, with details of the name posted on www.aucklandzoo.co.nz
* prize of behind the scenes tour is for four people and does not include transport
Did you know?
* a newborn giraffe stands1.8m tall – about the same size as an All Black lock
forward. It needs to be this tall to reach its mother's milk.
* it is thought that the dark colour of their tongues protect them from getting
sunburned while reaching for leaves on trees. They also have thick, sticky saliva
that coats any thorns they might swallow.
* giraffe have the same number of vertebrae in their necks as humans: seven.
Each one is just much bigger.
What's my name?
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22/11/2007: Nasceu em Auckland, mas o site do zoo ainda não tem informação... É um macho, “Forrest”, que ganhou esse nome porque nasceu com um problema nas perninhas, tadinho, mas o pessoal do zoo está confiante que ele vai se recuperar...
26/11/2008: Girafa muda do Zoológico de Auckland (Nova Zelândia) para o Zoológico de Taronga (Austrália)... Nota: Provavelmente deve ser a girafa “Ntombi” das fotos acima...
Nota: Agradeço ao casal de “fotógrafos” Li e Nelson, pelas várias fotos que ilustram esta página.
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Última atualização: 06/04/2009. |
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