On June 23, Planckendael welcomed their tenth birth at their Savannah exhibit. The new male Giraffe calf entered the world at almost two meters (6.5 feet) long!
This is the fifth offspring for the experienced mother, and she has been spending quality time caring for her new calf.
Zoo Coordinator, Ben Van, said, "It is good that this is the tenth baby for our savannah. It is something to be very proud of, but we also know that it is never routine. Every birth is unique; every birth is different.”
Every year, Planckendael and ZOO Antwerp use one letter of the alphabet to help select names for the zoo babies born during the year. This year, they are using the letter “R”. A contest was recently held, and the public voted on the name “Rafiki” for the new male Giraffe calf!
Planckendael participates in the European Breeding Programme (EEP). They are also supporters of protecting and preserving the lives of the Giraffes in nature. They are proud supporters of a project in the Garamba National Park in Congo. They provide help in protecting and monitoring the endangered Kordofan Giraffes.
The Kordofan Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum) is a subspecies found in northern Cameroon, southern Chad, Central African Republic, and possibly western Sudan. Historically, some confusion has existed over the exact range limit of this subspecies compared to the West African Giraffe. Genetic work has also revealed that all "West African Giraffe" in European zoos are in fact Kordofan Giraffe.
Compared to most other subspecies, the Kordofan Giraffe has relatively small, more irregular spots on the inner legs. Its English name is a reference to Kordofan in Sudan (also spelled Kordofan, it is a former province of central Sudan).
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