Tall story: Kevin the giraffe’s road trip to Hamilton
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Kevin, a “playful, curious, and cheeky” giraffe from Christchurch has finally hit the road and arrived at his new home at Hamilton Zoo.
The 2½-year-old stands 4.3m tall and weighs between 500kg and 600kg. His journey kicked off about 11.30am on Tuesday, with a carefully planned route via Culverden and Waiau to avoid Kaikōura’s low tunnels before heading to Picton.
“We need to catch the ferry at 7.15pm to Wellington,” said Stewart Taylor, Orana’s assistant manager of exotic species on the eve of departure.
“Given the height of the trailer, our route plan is pretty solid — avoiding low tunnels and winding roads as much as possible to keep it smooth, and obviously making the ferry on time.”
Kevin, who adores munching on willow leaves, travelled with three keepers from Orana Wildlife Park.
“He really loves interacting with his keepers because he was partially hand-raised,” Taylor said. “He’s calm, very curious, and loves exploring his surroundings.”
During the journey, the team periodically offered Kevin small amounts of water — around five litres at a time — and plenty of his favourite food to keep him happy.
The trip from Christchurch to Picton was estimated to take about 6½ hours, followed by a 3½-hour ferry crossing with Bluebridge.
The team stopped in Cheviot part way through the trip, where scores of people and students from Cheviot Area School came out to see him.
Once in Wellington, Kevin continued north for another 6½hours until he reached Hamilton Zoo.
Taylor said they kept an eye on him through a camera inside the trailer.
Over the past two weeks, the Orana Wildlife Park team have been preparing Kevin for the move, familiarising him with his transport trailer through daily training sessions.
“These sessions help Kevin feel as comfortable as possible for the journey north,” said Taylor.
On Tuesday morning Kevin enjoyed breakfast with his mother, Kamili, and the rest of the small giraffe herd.
“He separated himself off and was quite happy to take part — especially because he got all the snacks,” Taylor said.
At Hamilton Zoo, Kevin is set to join a bachelor herd alongside Masamba, 22, and Jabali, 2. Jabali arrived last year from Auckland Zoo.
Hamilton Zoo is the national repository for male giraffes, with no females on site.
While Kevin will continue to play a vital role as an ambassador for his species – he is a Northern giraffe – the zoo also hopes the herd will eventually support a potential breeding program.
Plans are under way for a larger giraffe barn and expanded savannah enclosure, which will provide more space and enrichment for the growing herd.
Kevin was born at Orana Wildlife Park on December 19, 2022.
His arrival was met with excitement and relief, as the 55kg calf required round-the-clock care after first-time mum Kamili was unable to feed him properly.
During this period Kevin was affectionately nicknamed “Grinch” by the keepers, but an online public vote later gave him the name Kevin.
Despite his rough start, he quickly grew into “a playful, curious, and cheeky” young giraffe who brought endless joy to the team and visitors.
Kevin is also the last calf of his father, Mabuti, who died in 2021 after three years at the park.
While saying goodbye is never easy, the team are excited for Kevin’s next adventure.
Hamilton Zoo is paying for Kevin’s trip.