Here at Werribee Open Range Zoo we've just welcomed two one-year-old giraffes, Amani and Thembi.

On this blog we're going to keep you updated on our preparations, their journey from Dubbo, their arrival and how they settle in to their new home here at Werribee.

If you've got any got any questions about the new giraffes, email us and if possible, we'll answer your question in a future post.

One big happy family at last!
30 June 2009

Amani and Thembi have finally met all of the animals in the Lower Savannah. Today Keepers Deb and Justine introduced them to the rhinos for the first time and after some initial hesitation, the young giraffe were soon strutting their long legs with confidence.

Sticking close to their grandfather Tony and giraffe Kinta, the pair took the new challenges in their stride.

Keepers say the half brothers are now extremely relaxed and are giving their grandfather a good workout with their endless energy and playfulness.

Stretching their legs at last!
15 June 2009

Amani and Thembi were allowed to venture from their quarantine yards today into the wide open savannah.

Keepers Deb and Justine had earlier relocated several rhino from the area, so the young boys could explore their new home without any close encounters with large horns.

The pair strolled alongside their grandfather Tony and fellow resident giraffe, Kinta. They even discovered other animals they'd never seen before, such as eland and zebra.

For the next few days, Amani and Thembi will spend a few hours each day in the savannah, and all going well, all the animals will be allowed to mix freely next week. Stay tuned for updates!

Meeting Grandad 14 June 2009

The boys get to meet and interact with our other resident giraffes, Tony (their grandad) and Kinta. They also see a couple of rhino up close for the first time.

A Party of FOUR!
11 June 2009

Yesterday's meeting between Giraffe Tony and his two grandsons, Amani and Thembi, went so well that all four giraffe were allowed to play together today. 

There was no protective fence barrier between the two younger giraffe and the two older giraffe - and none was needed as they all got along extremely well.

Keepers Deb and Justine were so impressed with the smooth introductions that they plan to introduce the young boys to the rest of the animals in the nearby Lower Savannah next week.

Amani and Thembi got their first glimpse of a rhino today when three of the group came to get a closer look at new boys on the block.

Amani and Thembi meet grandpa for the first time!
9 June 2009

After five weeks of waiting, Amani and Thembi have finally met their grandfather, Tony. The young giraffe, now out of quarantine, were introduced to Tony and another giraffe, Kinta, in the first of a series of phased introductions.

To ensure a smooth transition for the new boys, Amani and Thembi remained behind a fence for their first meeting with the other giraffe. The next meeting with Tony and Kinta will be without the fence in an enclosed area. Giraffe Keepers, Deb and Justine, are confident they will all get along well but they will be monitoring them closely to ensure things go smoothly. No head swinging boys!

Very soon the pair will be able to really stretch their legs, when they are released into the large area of the Lower Savannah. They will also have to adjust to other animals including rhinos, which they've never seen before.

Start training
5 June 2009

The boys are out of quarantine and Justine and Deb give us an update on what training and conditioning they are starting and why this is important for giraffe health checks

Amani and Thembi, are finally out of quarantine!
4 June 2009

After four weeks in isolation, the boys are now almost ready to meet all the animals in the Lower Savannah, including their grandfather, Tony.

But first, Keepers, Debbie and Justine, are conditioning the young giraffe to become accustomed to the Restraint Management Shute which enables them to get a closer look at the animals during health or other checks.

The boys also will be conditioned using the "target" training method which enables Keepers to more easily coax giraffe to move into preferred areas. Tony, the boys' grandfather, is already an expert in this field! 

Next week, the boys will begin staggered introductions, first meeting the older giraffe, Tony and Kinta, over the fence line.

Then Amani and Thembi will meet the giraffe without a fence barrier. The next stage will be their entry into the Lower Savannah where zebra and antelope roam. The rhinos will be removed from this area for initial introductions.

Once the boys are confident in their new home, Keepers will introduce the rhino back into the Lower Savannah.

All very exciting for Amani and Thembi as they have never mixed with other species before!

We'll keep you posted every step of the way throughout their journey!

New Diet
26 May 2009

There are lots of new things for Amani and Thembi to get used to here at Werribee Open Range Zoo, and their diet is one of things. Deb and Justine run us through some of the changes they are busy accustomising the boys to.

Curious Kinta
24 May 2009

Our older giraffe, Kinta, has been very curious about the two new arrivals. He has been keeping an eye on them from the distance. They aren't able to meet properly until the end of the quarantine period but that hasn't stopped his curiousity!

Quarantine
22 May 2009

The keepers need to follow very strict procedures during the quarantine period. Debbie changes into her special quarantine suit before examining faecal samples for parasite testing.

Settling in
21 May 2009

The boys are really starting to settle in now, Justine and Deb give us an update on what they're doing to make sure the new boys are comfy while making sure the existing residents don't get too jealous!

The first week
14 May 2009

Justine gives us a quick update on what the boys got up to in their first week at Werribee

Amani & Thembi on TV!
13 May 2009

Our gorgeous young boys have been attracting so much interest since their arrival. Already they are getting used to having cameras around with presenters Natalie Hunter from Totally Wild and Nicky Buckley from Talk to the Animals paying them a visit last week.
Click on the image below to view more pictures.

The Road Trip
8 May 2009

Here's some more pics of the road trip, including a shot of their family in Taronga! Click on the image below to view larger versions.

Settling in
6 May 2009

The boys have arrived, Deb and Justine give an update on how they're settling in to their new home

They're Here!
5 May 2009

The boys have arrived! We've been flat out, so we'll post more soon, but in the meantime, here's some pics of the journey.  Click on the image to go through to larger versions.

The preparations have begun!
24 April 2009

Giraffe Keepers Deb and Justine give us an update on the preparations for Amani and Thembi.