Disney's Animal Kingdom Acquires Giraffe From Virginia Zoo

By Diane Paluzzi

Norfolk, VA - Kids of all ages would love to live at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. For Willow, the nearly 1-year-old giraffe born at the Virginia Zoo in October 2009, it’s a dream come true. But the Zoo’s giraffe tower still boasts a baby – a male calf was born last Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 8:50 a.m.

Willow is going to Disney!

Willow safely arrived at her new home in Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Tuesday, October 12, where she will join a herd of seven young Masai giraffe. This herd will eventually be released onto the kingdom’s multi-acre safari ride where they will form a new breeding nucleus for the species.

“It’s always a little bittersweet to send an animal born at our Zoo to its new home,” notes executive director Greg Bockheim. “Staff, myself and visitors become very attached to the young animals we nurture them, so it’s sad to say goodbye. But the purpose of our breeding programs is to build strong, sustainable captive populations for the long range survivability of the species. The successful transfer of a youngster and birth of a healthy calf is a significant contribution from the Virginia Zoo for this tallest land animal.”

“We are sensitive to the fact that many Hampton Roads residents became attached to Willow,” acknowledges Bockheim, “and will be sad to hear she has moved. We made the difficult decision not announce the transfer ahead of time, because our most important duty is to protect Willow. Like other hoof stock, giraffe are high-strung animals that rarely are comfortable facing new situations. Our concern was that visitors, no matter how well meaning, would create a higher stress level for Willow if she recognized a change in visitor behavior or reaction to seeing her or if we had non-zoo staff present while she was being loaded into a trailer. We needed to keep her calm before the transfer and do everything in our power to ensure the move was peaceful and easy for Willow.”

Through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a national committee of scientists and species experts makes recommendations for placement of specific animals, including Willow, to ensure the quality of the population for long term genetic management.

The window of opportunity to transport a young giraffe can be quite narrow. It’s a major logistical effort with staff at both facilities carefully coordinating complicated details to ensure all the right things happen at the right time. For example, the giraffe can’t be too young, but it needs to move before it is too tall to fit in the trailer or through underpasses. The giraffe also needs to be shipped when the weather is just right – not too hot or too cold.

“Willow’s size is a special consideration for travel out of Hampton Roads,” explains Bockheim. “We could not wait until she needed a trailer too large to fit through all the tunnels and under the bridges that are located along our regional highways.”

Other specifics that must be managed include medical tests, permits, and housing. Once the arrangements were made and the vet cleared Willow for travel, an experienced giraffe hauler picked her up at the Virginia Zoo. Zoo staff helped load Willow onto a customized trailer designed with the comfort of a young giraffe in mind.
We will miss her but we are proud that she is going to a remarkable new home where she will meet lots of new friends and help create fantastic memories for many more guests.

Baby Boy Born to Zoo Giraffe Family

As is natural in the wild, the departure of a growing young animal creates room in the herd for a new baby. A male giraffe calf was born on Saturday, October 9, 2010 weighing 92 pounds and measuring 63 inches long. Like Willow, his father is Billy, the Zoo’s male giraffe. His mother is Keana and this is her first calf. (Willow’s mother was the Zoo’s other adult female, Imara.)

Although newborn giraffe can stand and walk within 1 hour of birth, in the wild, they don’t wander much after birth. They tend to lie in the grass hiding from predators. At the Zoo, the baby won’t need protection from carnivores, but zookeepers will maintain a vigilant watch over the newborn. Young animals are most vulnerable in the first days of life as they begin to learn and develop skills that will help them to thrive. They have to learn how to eat, move within their space and bond with the animals in their family. The giraffe barn has been closed until this week to give mom and baby privacy. The new calf will not go out into the large giraffe yard for several weeks in order to allow him to grow big enough to safely negotiate the terrain. A name will be selected for the baby in the coming weeks.

Mother giraffe, Keana, is more skittish than Willow’s mother and is showing minimal maternal instincts at this point, so zookeepers are supplementing the baby by bottle feeding him. It is hoped that in time the female will develop a stronger bond with the calf, if not he may need to be reared with the help of staff.

Visitors to the Virginia Zoo can see proud papa, Billy, and other animals daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PHOTO CAPTION: The young 5-foot, 3-inch male giraffe calf meets a new friend – 6-foot, 2-inch Zoo executive director Greg Bockheim. Photos courtesy of the Virginia Zoo.

As an accredited Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facility, the Virginia Zoo exhibits over 350 animals, beautifully manicured grounds and offers a fun-filled day for all. For more than a century, the Virginia Zoo has demonstrated a commitment to wildlife, conservation and education. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and located at 3500 Granby Street in Norfolk. Daily admission prices are $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors (age 62 and over), and $6.00 for children ages 2-11. Visit www.virginiazoo.org or call (757) 441-2374 for more information.

To view Virginia Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-118-Virginia_Zoo