Tall order to come by trailer as another giraffe joins the herd

Thursday, 3 July 2025

Hamilton Zoo ungulates keeper Danielle Hook with Masamba.

It’s a boys’ party at Hamilton Zoo with it set to welcome a third male giraffe later this year.

Two-year-old Kevin moves north from Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch to join Jabali and Masamba.

With no females on site, Hamilton Zoo has become the national repository for male giraffes.

The addition of Kevin will boost the social dynamic of the small herd, particularly for young Jabali, 2, who arrived last year from Auckland Zoo.

“We want another young male really to expand our herd, but also to be a buddy for Jabali long term,” said ungulates keeper Danielle Hook.

Hamilton Zoo ungulates keeper Danielle Hook says there’s a bit of an age gap between Masamba, age 22, and Jabali, age 2.

“Masamba is 22, and Jabali is 2-years-old, so that’s quite a big age gap. He [Jabali] loves Masamba, but I can't say Masamba always loves Jabali.”

Masamba the giraffe pictured with Hamilton Zoo ungulates keeper Danielle Hook.

Hook said Jabali will “benefit a lot” from having a giraffe his own age.

“At Auckland Zoo he was around more young giraffes and a bigger giraffe herd, so I think he'll definitely flourish.”

Kevin, described by Orana keepers as “quite keeper orientated” and “quite friendly,” is also rumoured to be “quite intelligent.”

Auckland Zoo transported young giraffe Jabali in a trailer.

He is currently being trained to enter a trailer, with the journey north expected in October or November this year.

Kevin will help fill the gap left after the recent deaths of two elderly giraffes.

In March, 19-year-old Dume died from complications during anaesthesia while undergoing treatment for hoof disease and suspected dental issues.

Hamilton Zoo director Dr Baird Fleming said there’s plans to build a larger barn for the giraffes.

His death followed the loss of another 19-year-old, Ndale, who died after a fall the previous year.

“Hamilton Zoo is essentially the repository for all male giraffes,” said Hamilton Zoo director Baird Fleming.

“There are three facilities in New Zealand that have giraffes, two are breeding, and then there’s ours.”

“If you put a whole bunch of males together, they’re usually fine. Put a bunch of females together, they’re fine. But put males and females together, it doesn’t work.”

While there are no plans for females just yet, Fleming said with Hamilton Zoo’s size, there’s potential for a breeding programme in future.

“If you have to transport a giraffe from Australia to here or vice versa, it’s easily $50,000 to $60,000. So it makes sense to breed them here.”

Work is also starting in November on a new giraffe barn, described as “a horse barn on steroids”, which will include expanded pens and paddocks and connect to a larger savannah enclosure.

Construction is expected to take six to nine months and is part of a wider redevelopment at the zoo.