2008 saw the return to Blackpool Zoo of giraffes, a much requested species. Giraffes resided in the Elephant House in the early days of the Zoo, but were moved away when space was needed for Marcella and Indra, the two Asian elephants rescued from a bankrupt circus.
The building of Giraffe Heights was one of the early projects carried out by current owners, Parques Reunidos, and incorporates various "visitor-friendly" features, such as high and low level viewing, a raised paddock walkway and a feeding platform.
Three giraffes arrived from Fota in Southern Ireland in 2008 - these were Ciara, Quiver and Sive. A male calf, Timber, was born in December of that year and he has since left us to reside at Folly Farm in South Wales.
Two more females, Sonia and her two year old daughter, Saoirse, arrived in 2009, and Sonia subsequently gave birth to a female calf, O'Grady in early 2010. The six giraffes have remained at Blackpool since.
The group will not grow in the future as they will be maintained as an all-female, non-breeding group.
The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. Its specific name refers to its camel-like face and and the patches of color on its fur, which bear a vague resemblance to a leopard's spots. The giraffe is noted for its extremely long neck and legs, as well as its horn-like ossicones. It stands 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall and has an average weight of 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) for males and 830 kg (1,800 lb) for females. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. There are nine subspecies, which are distinguished by their coat patterns.They are quite delightful creatures and my wife came away from the zoo with a tee-shirt sporting their portraits.
