Jane Healy, Auckland Zoo
Join us in saying a hearty hari huritau (Happy Birthday) to female giraffe Rukiya, who turns 23 years old today!
The eldest of the Zoo’s giraffe herd, Rukiya relocated from Wellington Zoo to us here in Auckland back in 2002. Since this time, she has been an incredible contributor to the Australasian regional breeding and advocacy programme for her species, producing five healthy offspring – four of whom have gone on to breed.
“While she might not be quite as fast on her feet as she used to be, and it now takes her a few seconds longer to get down and up from resting and sleeping, she’s in remarkably good health,” says Ungulates keeper Ben, who has worked with her for over six years.
“Rukiya still has her very playful inquisitive nature, she loves the other giraffe, and is a wonderfully gentle and active ‘grandmother’ to eight-month-old Enzi. She’ll run with Enzi (even though she’s now not quite as graceful in her movements!) and loves to lick and nuzzle her, and just generally looks out for her.”
Ben says the only real health issue to date for Rukiya (who is now of geriatric age in giraffe years) has been her development of an allergy to a particular species of acacia plant that flowers over winter – which gives her hay fever, causing her to sneeze and cough.
“We just need to remove this plant from her diet, and that of the other giraffe, for a few months, and she’s fine. It is a plant that she really loves, and now that it’s stopped flowering, we’ve been able to reintroduce it.
“Back in July people might remember we did a call-out to our very supportive local community for other browse plants like puka, olive, and feijoa – and we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who responded, as it was a such great help - and really got us though this time.”
On average, given the chance, giraffe can live for up to 25 years in the wild, and sometimes older in zoos, but as with people and other species, it can vary with individuals.
“We do carry out regular geriatric health assessments on Rukiya along with doing daily observations. This kind of monitoring enables us to keep an eye out for any changes in things like her movement or behaviour that we can then share with our veterinary team,” says Ben.
If you’re visiting us this week, be sure to get along to our Africa Safari Track where you’ll find Rukiya out and about with young Enzi, Enzi’s mum Kiraka (14) and older sister Kabili (7) and male Billy – who will turn six-years-old this Thursday!
