Category: Giraffe

For a week now, the giraffe park in Schönbrunn Zoo has had one more resident, a little giraffe girl. Fleur, the young animal's mother, who is inexperienced in giving birth, is much more relaxed than at the beginning, but the nursing team is still very challenged. "We can observe interactions such as the young animal gently licking it, but Fleur does not nurse her offspring," explains Eveline Dungl, the responsible zoological department head. “We feed her, fortunately that works very well now. However, the young animal's condition is not yet completely stable.” When it comes to supplementary feeding, pasteurized Holstein cow's milk is used, which is obtained from an Austrian farmer from Laab im Walde. The composition is very close to that of giraffe's mother's milk. "The experienced giraffe female Carla also calms Fleur and the little one with her confident demeanor," says Dungl.

Body temperature and weight checks are carried out regularly. "In addition to standard examinations, attention must now be paid to whether the offspring tolerate the cow's milk," says Thomas Voracek, head of the veterinary practice at Schönbrunn Zoo. "At the moment, as a vet team, we see our main task as advising the keepers on the composition of the milk, the intervals between feedings and monitoring the developmental stages of the young animal." Peace and quiet is currently the priority for the animals and the care team – the giraffe park will therefore remain closed for the time being.