The Arrival of George and Henry - Our New Giraffes - Animal Experiences At Wingham Wildlife Park In Kent

Hi everyone! I am sure most of you have seen our 2 newest members of the park by now, but I thought it was only fair that they received a proper introduction in addition to providing you all with an insight into how our new giraffes have been settling into their new home.

So, on January 25^th the big day arrived. Our 2 new giraffes, George and Henry, started their journey to Wingham Wildlife Park. Both boys were born at Belfast Zoo, so they were in for a lengthy journey.

Transporting giraffes

We often receive questions asking how giraffes get transported from zoo to zoo so, hopefully I can answer these questions today!

Our giraffes were transported with the amazing ‘Crossborder Animal Services’, a certified and very reputable company who ensure the highest levels of safety and care for their precious cargo. Both giraffes were loaded into the same crate along with some browse and haylage hung up for food and straw on the floor for their comfort. They were then ready for their travel.

Starting in Belfast, this trip included a short ferry ride over to Scotland, they were then driven south through England before reaching Wingham. Us keepers were eagerly anticipating their arrival and the excitement only grew with each truck we saw as we hoped it was carrying the giraffes. At last, at 7pm a truck pulled into the car park, and we knew they had arrived.

A large (narrow and tall) lorry with writing on the back saying Crossborder Animal Services. It is late at night so the background is very dark.

Unloading the giraffes

The next step was to unload George and Henry into the giraffe house. For a smooth transition, Robin and Ruedi were moved into the bedrooms to allow the new boys space and time to settle into their new home. The trailer was then reversed through the giraffe paddock until it reached the large door to the giraffe house. Lots of nice browse and lucerne were packed into the giraffe house to ensure they had lots of food after their long journey. Then it was time to open the trailer and get our first look at our new arrivals.

Who stepped out first?

Firstly, George stepped out and made his way up the corridor to meet Robin and Ruedi over the fence. Then following along was a little henry. They both instantly stole the hearts of the whole team. All 4 boys were presenting very positive behaviours with lots of sniffing and licking of each other.

After a good night, the boys were ready to be mixed. The gates were opened and Robin and Ruedi came walking in and gave George and Henry a good sniff.

How are the new giraffes settling in?

Fast forward to the present day, I wanted to give you an update on how everyone is getting on. After a few days, Ruedi began displaying dominant behavior to establish himself within his newly formed tower. For male giraffes this is done by necking. This is when 2 giraffes stand next to one another and swing their necks around. Now Ruedi has confirmed his position amongst the group, all 4 members are getting on very well. George and henry are also starting to understand the daily routine, including our giraffe experiences, and are moving to different areas when needed to.