Two Mail Order Brides Arrive For Yoda At Paignton Zoo

By Philip Knowling

Paignton, UK - Two tall, leggy girls are causing a stir in South Devon.

The female Rothschild’s giraffes have come to Paignton Zoo Environmental Park from Eastern Europe. Three year old Janica is from Duvr Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic and Sangha (two and a half) from Liberec Zoo in Slovakia.

They join four year old Yoda, who arrived in Devon in September 2006.

Their arrival comes two and a half years after a tragic fire killed three giraffes at the Zoo, including a week-old baby, in February 2006.

The moves were recommended by the European Endangered species Programme Coordinator for Rothschild’s giraffes, Marc Damen, who is based at Arnhem Zoo and arranged by Paignton Zoo Curator of Mammals Neil Bemment. The arrival of the two young giraffes was delayed for many months by blue tongue restrictions across Europe.

The Rothschild giraffe is one of the most threatened giraffe sub-species, with only a few hundred left in the wild in Kenya and Uganda.

The journeys of 1,200 kilometres from the Czech Republic and 1,500 kilometres from Slovakia were completed by road. Transportation costs of around 5,600 Euros (£4,400) for each animal were met by Paignton Zoo (a registered charity) as the collection receiving the animal. The Herald Express Kizi Fund helped raise £7,453 towards bringing giraffes back to Paignton Zoo.

Janica was she born at Duvrkralove Zoo while Sangha was born at Liberec in March 2006. Yoda came from Givskud Zoo in Denmark, where he was born in November 2004. They are all purebred Rothschild's or Baringo giraffes.

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park Curator of Mammals Neil Bemment said: “Male giraffes are usually solitary creatures for at least part of their lives, but I’m sure Yoda will be just as pleased as us to see the new arrivals. The new girls are very good natured. The moves went very smoothly.”

To move a giraffe between EU countries, zoos need a TRACES certificate. TRACES – which stands for trade control and expert system - is a web-based service for the application for, and issuing of, Intra Trade Animal Health Certificates (ITAHCs) and Common Veterinary Entry Documents (CVEDs) for intra-community trade in live animals.

TRACES notifies member states of the movements of live animals into or through their territories and helps authorities meet the needs of their animal and public health obligations.
 

Photos: #1  Senior Keeper with Jim Dicks with the 3 giraffes   #2  Janica's arrival