Moving home can be a real pain in the neck, especially if you're a giraffe (with signs and low bridges to deal with)

By ROB PREECE

Evasive action: Mengmeng the giraffe ducks to avoid a low bridge on her journey to a new home in Linyi, Shandong province, eastern China

On China's busy roads, getting from A to B can be a tall order at the best of times.
So spare a thought for Mengmeng the giraffe, whose move to a new home took her on a route with obstacles including electricity pylons, motorway signs and more than 20 low bridges.
It took zoo keepers in Linyi, Shandong province, eastern China, seven hours to transport the animal a few miles to the wildlife park's new grounds.
Trainers spent months beforehand teaching the 15-year-old animal to duck when she saw low obstacles in a specially built pen at her old zoo.

Watch out! Peeking from the top of her trailer, Mengmeng narrowly avoids a motorway sign on the way to her new home

Startled drivers on the route could see Mengmeng peeking out over the top of her trailer and dipping down every time a bridge or a pylon came up.
'There was no way to get to the new zoo without getting under low slung obstacles so we taught Mengmeng how to duck,' keeper Shing Mu said.

Planning: Trainers spent months teaching Mengmeng to duck out of the way of low obstacles in preparation for her journey across town

Change of scenery: Mengmeng was carried to her new surroundings in a trailer. The journey was only a few miles, but it took seven hours to complete

source: dailymail

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Motherly love: Doting giraffe helps her newborn calf take its wobbly first steps

By ANNA EDWARDS

Motherly love: A doting giraffe gave her newborn calf a gentle nudge with her nose as it took to its feet for its wobbly first steps

A baby's first steps is a precious moment for any new parents.
And it was no different for this pair of doting giraffes who watched their newborn calf take its first wobbly steps
Its proud mother gave her youngster a gentle nudge with her nose as it took to its feet for its wobbly first steps - just two hours after being born.

Tiny delight: The newborn stumbles to its feet with it's mother and another helpful giraffe

Visitors watched with delight as mother Isabella gave birth in just four hours and then helped her newborn to walk at Marwell Wildlife, near Winchester, Hampshire.
The healthy calf - who sex is yet to be identified - bonded with its mother instantly, following the labour.
John Pullen, curator of mammals at Marwell Wildlife, said: 'This is Isabella's third birth. It went extremely well and Isabella took it all in her stride.
'The public were allowed to watch the birth along with keepers and other members of staff.

Baby's first steps: The dainty newborn totters alongside its mother and another giraffe, who tower above it

'As soon as the calf was born we closed their house to let baby and mum bond. Isabella is really well and very protective of her newborn.
'Baby is strong and tall, was standing an hour later and walking an hour or so after that.'
Keepers cannot confirm whether the calf is a boy or a girl but a closer examination will take place in the next few days.

Pleased to meet you! The baby was walking within two hours of being born, much to the delight of visitors to the wildlife park

The youngster will begin to eat solids after approximately one month and will be fully weaned within a year.
All of the giraffes at Marwell Wildlife are on public view.
They can be seen at the park's 'Into Africa' or in 'The Valley' field along with zebra, ostrich and waterbuck.


Adorable: The as yet unnamed calf will have its sex identified within the next few days

The bull giraffe can be expected to reach 6 metres (18 feet) in height.
Giraffes have specially developed physiological adaptations to allow an even flow of blood to the brain when the neck is suddenly lowered or raised.
And their long tongues, which can grow to 45cm in length, are used to pull leaves, shoots, bark and flowers off branches.

source: dailymail

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Having a wild time! Katie Holmes looks delighted as she takes Suri to feed giraffes at the zoo

By LEAH SIMPSON

Delighted: Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise fed giraffes at the Bronx Zoo n New York City today

Her love life could quite possibly be back on after she was pictured following a dinner date with a mystery man last night.
And Katie Holmes still appeared to be beaming today she took her daughter Suri Cruise on a trip to the Bronx Zoo.
The girls were seen feeding the giraffes along with other visitors to the New York City attraction and while the treat was probably for her child with Tom Cruise, Katie seemed the most thrilled.

Capturing the moment: The actress took pictures of her six-year-old girl feeding giraffes

The actress grinned with her tongue between her teeth as she extended branches to the animals, which can often be found on safari expeditions.
While her six-year-old little girl could be seen looking very focused on the task at hand, Holmes made sure to snap away at the precious moments on her phone, in between gasping with delight.
The brunette pulled her hair back in a messy ponytail and donned a black and white striped tank top with blue jeans for the outing.

Girls day: Katie wore a casual black and white striped top and jeans

After finalising her divorce from Suri’s actor father earlier this month, Holmes’ life just seems to be going from strength to strength.
She recently landed a role on the Broadway production Dead Accountants and last night she was accompanied by a male friend for a nice meal in the Big Apple.
Although she has been making the most of her time with Suri recently, taking her on late night ice cream trips as well as fun children’s activities during the day, Katie enjoyed some adult time.

Precious moment: Holmes has been making the most of her time with Suri around the time of her splitting with Tom Cruise

Family fun: Katie looked even more impressed than Suri did with the majestic creatures

She got dressed up and left the eatery looking jolly, a feeling that she can’t seem to shake off it seems.
Despite her personal and career successes, it would appear that Katie has decided to lie relatively low for the moment and take advantage of simple pleasures.
She has cancelled what would have been her first official public appearance since her split, at tonight's Dizzy Feet Foundation gala.

Happy: Tom Cruise also seemed in good spirits when he was spotted leaving a Malibu eatery with a huge smile on his face

Love interest? Holmes was all smiles after having a dinner date with a mystery male at Nomad in NYC last night

source: dailymail

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Will you play with me? Baby giraffe frolics round a field after befriending a butterfly

By LAURA COX

Dinner time: At first the baby giraffe is quite happy to hang out with her mom and nibble on some fresh grass

A baby giraffe showed off her dancing skills as she enjoyed the sunshine gracefully frolicking around with a butterfly at the Bronx Zoo.
The month-old calf caught a glimpse of the butterfly as it flew into her enclosure, where she was nuzzling her mom and enjoying a tasty snack of grass.
At first she stays close to her mom, not sure what to make of the fluttering insect, but she doesn’t stay coy for long. She shakes off a grooming attempt from her mom, like any youngster eager to go out and explore.
Clearly intrigued by the unexpected visitor the Baringo giraffe bounds playfully after it galloping round in a huge circle as she plays hide-and-seek with her new friend.

But what's that?! Something far more exciting catches her eye and she abandons the snack

Unsure: The giraffe seems a little tentative at first, unsure what to make of the new visitor

But the butterfly doesn’t hang about within reach of the 9-foot tall giraffe. It scarpers faster than the giraffe can make chase, still wobbly on its newborn legs.
Realising she is back where she started from the giraffe looks up at her mom, looking puzzled by the whole experience.
‘It’s a learning curve, dear’ her mom seems to say as she cranes her neck south to give her daughter a sloppy kiss.

And she's off! Gleefully the young calf bounds off after her new friend, in typically graceful fashion


Gerroff, mom! Before she knows it the baby giraffe is back with her mom, puzzled at how quickly her game ended

source: dailymail

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Is this really fun for all the family? The giraffe hunters who pay £10,000 to shoot the gentle giants with guns and bows for sport

By PAMELA OWEN

The gentle giants are tracked down and killed so tourists can take home pictures showing they have killed the animals

Tourist trophy hunters are paying thousands of pounds to go and shoot giraffes with high-powered guns and bows. The gentle giants are loved around the world for their comical appearance and gentle nature.
Just like character 'Melman' played by Friend's-star David Schwimmer in Disney's Madagascar, they are a hit with kids who love their long necks and eyelashes.
But shocking images show how scores of big-spending men and women - and even families - travel from across the globe, some even from Britain, to kill them for sport.

Entire families go on the hunts and appear to relish having their pictures taken with the dead giraffe

Hunters pay up to a whopping £10,000 for the the chance to slay them - preferring bulls because they are the biggest.
Safari clubs and game reserves ask for a £1,500 trophy fee, and then add on rates for guides and trackers costing around £1,000 per day.
The hunts typically last three-to-five days and see tourists using .458 Winchester Magnum rifles to kill the animals.
With most hunters flying to Africa from their homes in Europe or America, the costs stretch into five figures.

The animals are near extinction and are no longer found in countries like Nigeria, Mali and Angola

The hunting continues even though numbers of the animals are plummeting.
But the world's leading giraffe expert said populations in the countries where it is legal - South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe - can cope with the killings.
The latest statistic show the number of giraffes in the world have nearly halved since 1988 from over 140,000 to less than 80,000.
Dr. Julian Fennessy produced the report for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Tourist hunters often take the skin home or get taxidermists to mount the heads so they can be taken home as trophies

Another recent IUCN report suggests the giraffe may already need to be listed as a threatened species - because some populations are being decimated in places like West Africa and DR Congo.
They are already thought to be extinct in Angola, Mali and Nigeria.

The hunts typically last three-to-five days and sees tourists using .458 Winchester Magnum rifles to kill the animals

'They might have a 'second gun' in the party whose job it is to take the animal down quickly if the tourist misses.
'But hunting guides need to asses the ability of the hunter and stop the hunt if they do not have the skills to do it humanely.'
Another factors decimating the giraffe population is poaching.
'Poaching is illegal and is not licensed,' said Dr. Fennessy.
'They set wire snares at giraffe-height in the trees to snare their necks, or to trap their feet and kill them when they return.
'It leads to huge suffering for the animals, sometimes for days.'
To help the Giraffe Conservation Foundation click here visit http://www.giraffeconservation.org/

It is legal to hunt the giraffes in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia - where they have greater numbers of giraffes

source: dailymail

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Sophie the giraffe gets a pedicure: Zoo staff file down 'overgrown' hooves giving her a new 'spring in her step'

By NADIA GILANI

Long limbed: A sedated Sophie undergoing the operation to trim back her overgrown hooves on Tuesday

When Sophie arrived at her new home with overgrown hooves, she was in desperate need of a pedicure.

The 17-year-old giraffe would have ended up developing ankle problems were if not for staff at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park giving her a spot of beauty treatment.

Long-legged Sophie had overgrown hooves when she was transferred was transferred from Dudley Zoo in the West Midlands to the adventure park near Stirling, last year.


Snip: Colin Scott, head vet at the park clips back Sophie's hooves using a giant pair of clippers

The average hoof of an adult giraffe is about the same size as a dinner plate and can reach 12 inches in diameter.

In the wild, giraffes gallop vast distances across hard soil, which wears down their hooves, but that is not always the case when they are living in captivity.

Staff waited to see whether Sophie's hooves would wear down naturally, but when they didn't it was decided a pedicure was the only way forward.


Head Vet Colin Scott is helped by a colleague who holds one of Sophie's long legs in place while another member of staff holds a huge 'nail file' nearby

She was sedated with tranqulisers and a team of vets and nurses lead by head vet, Colin Scott rolled up their sleeves for a hard working hour and a half to clip her hooves on Tuesday.

They used giant metal clippers and a huge 'nail' file to shape the hooves afterwards.
Park manager, Gary Gilmour said Sophie is recovering well and now has a 'spring in her step'.


Mr Scott puts his glasses on as he moves in to get a closer look during the operation

'She really is a great giraffe. She's a lot happier as she can run faster now and we're pleased to see she's got a spring back in her step'.

There are four giraffes living at the adventure park cared for by the park's head giraffe keeper Chris Lucas.

The park's other animals include rhinos, zebras, elephants and chimps.

source: dailymail

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Shows a baby giraffe (R) and her mother snuggling each other

This picture taken on August 21, 2011 shows a baby giraffe (R) and her mother snuggling each other over wire netting in their enclosure at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo. The baby giraffe was born on August 6 at the zoo.



This picture taken on August 21, 2011 shows a baby giraffe (C) drinking a bottle of milk in an enclosure at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo. The baby giraffe was born on August 6 at the zoo.



This picture taken on August 21, 2011 shows a baby giraffe running in her enclosure at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo. The baby giraffe was born on August 6 at the zoo.



This picture taken on August 21, 2011 shows a baby giraffe (C) standing next to her parents over wire netting in their enclosure at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo. The baby giraffe was born on August 6 at the zoo.



This picture taken on August 21, 2011 shows a baby giraffe (R) and her mother snuggling each other over wire netting in their enclosure at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo. The baby giraffe was born on August 6 at the zoo.



This picture taken on August 21, 2011 shows a baby giraffe (C) standing next to her parents over wire netting in their enclosure at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo. The baby giraffe was born on August 6 at the zoo.

source: daylife
photo: Getty images

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Rookie zookeeper quits after poisoning two giraffes, killing one

By Rachel Quigley

Poisoned: Watoto died after being fed toxic leaves from a rookie zookeeper who then quit in the wake of the male giraffe's death

A zoo official who was responsible for poisoning two giraffes, killing one, has resigned.

The unidentified apprentice at Reid Park Zoo, Tucson, accidentally mixed up the plants and gave the giraffes leaves from a deadly plant.

He was said to be 'horrified and devastated' by his mistake.


Poisoned: Female giraffe Denver was also fed the toxic leaves and is currently recovering


Scene: Reid Park Zoo in Tucson said they are putting things in place to ensure this does not happen again


Zoo officials told 9 On Your Side the apprentice accidentally mixed in the leaves of an Oleander plant with leaves from other plants and fed them to the giraffes.

Oleander can be deadly if eaten by animals.

Watoto, the zoo's only male giraffe, died July 19 after eating the toxic leaves.

The Oleander was put into two of the four giraffe stalls on Monday night.

Jim Schnormeier, the head curator at the zoo, said the next morning, Watoto acted very unusually.

He said: 'He was lethargic. He was laying down and very seldom do you see a giraffe lay down, his appetite wasn't there.

'Our philosophy is if you don't know what it is, you don't feed it. Our focus right now is trying to get our giraffe better after this crisis.'


Unscathed: The two other giraffes at Reid Park Zoo did not eat the toxic leaves and are doing fine


Zoo administrator Susan Basford said: 'We have apprentices here at the zoo and that person was not as experienced. It was mistake compounded by mistake and it's horrible.'

The apprentice was said to be part of a 12-month programme run by the zoological society and was due to run out in September.

Zoo officials said it was his own decision to resign but they did not tryu to talk him out of it.

They said he was studying to become a zoo keeper and is distraught about what happened.

Nancy Schlegel of the Zoological Society said: 'It's hard to see a young person having to go through that as well as the tragedy that all of us are feeling.'

The other giraffe, Denver, who ate the toxic leaves is said to be improving.

source: dailymail

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Zuri, a one-month old giraffe, stands in front of her father

Zuri, a one-month old giraffe, stands in front of her father, Kimba, in their outdoor yard at the Cincinnati Zoo, Thursday, May 5, 2011 in Cincinnati. Zuri was making her first appearance outside at the zoo.



Zuri, a one-month old giraffe, walks past her parents in their outdoor yard at the Cincinnati Zoo, Thursday, May 5, 2011 in Cincinnati. Zuri was making her first appearance outside at the zoo.

source: daylife
photo: AP photo

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Baby Rothschild giraffe 'Magoma' stands in front of her mother 'Koobi'

Baby Rothschild giraffe 'Magoma' stands in front of her mother 'Koobi' in their enclosure at Cologne's zoo February 22, 2011. The male baby giraffe was born on February 8, 2011, weighs about 80 kilograms and is 1.8 metre tall.




Baby Rothschild giraffe 'Magoma' drinks from her mother 'Koobi' in their enclosure at Cologne's zoo February 22, 2011. The male baby giraffe was born on February 8, 2011.



Rothschild giraffe 'Koobi' sniffs at her baby 'Magoma' in their enclosure at Cologne's zoo February 22, 2011. The male baby giraffe was born on February 8, 2011, weighs about 80 kilograms and is 1.8 metre tall.



Baby Rothschild giraffe 'Magoma' stands next to her mother 'Koobi' in their enclosure at Cologne's zoo February 22, 2011. The male baby giraffe was born on February 8, 2011.

source: daylife
photo: Reuters

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No need for a crow's nest: Giraffes keep lookout as they are ferried across river to their old stamping ground

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Like ducks to water: Four giraffes cross Lake Lake Baringo in Kenya to the native habitat they had vanished from


They are more used to plucking leaves from tall trees with their feet firmly on dry land.

But these adventurous giraffes looked every part the sailors as they floated across a lake.

The eight giraffes were being ferried from Lake Baringo in Kenya to the native habitat they had vanished from 70 years ago.

It was the first time that giraffes have been transported across water in Kenya's history.

And they made sure that they kept their head for heights by peeking above the boat's parapet to watch what was happening.

Two boats holding conservationists sailed alongside the large raft that held the giraffes to keep the boat steady.

Several more animal workers boarded the former landing craft to keep the giraffes calm as they crossed the water.


Diverse: The Ruko Game Conservancy is on 19,000 acres of land on the eastern shore of Lake Baringo


Eight of the animals, who number only a few hundred in the wild, were shipped to Ruko Game Conservancy in two groups of four. The project took four years to plan.

Ian Craig, director of the Northern Rangelands Trust, said giraffes were some of the most difficult animals to move. Lake Baringo has become famous for its wildlife.


source: dailymail

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A three-day old female baby Rotschild giraffe

A three-day old female baby Rotschild giraffe stands in front of her mother Kleopatra at the Prague Zoo on January 26, 2011 in the Czech capital.



A visitor feeds Berta, a female Rotschild giraffe, at the Prague Zoo on January 26, 2011 in the Czech capital.



A three-day old female baby Rotschild giraffe stands in her enclosure at the Prague Zoo on January 26, 2011 in the Czech capital.



A three-day old female baby Rotschild giraffe sits at the Prague Zoo on January 26, 2011 in the Czech capital.


source: daylife
photo: Gettyimages

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