Adelaide Zoo Giraffe Calf Makes His Debut

Adelaide Zoo have introduced their 7 week old giraffe calf to the public along with announcing his name following a public naming competition. Taken from a flowering, evergreen tree from southern Africa, the calf will be known as Matumi.

Matumi has had a tough start to life having been born at Adelaide Zoo’s sister site, Monarto Safari Park to mother, Thula on January 5th 2022. Despite some initially promising signs that bonding between mother and calf was occurring it soon became apparent Matumi was not feeding from his mother.

As hot weather approached a decision was taken to move the calf to Adelaide Zoo where the team have experience in raising calves.

At Adelaide Zoo he has been bonding with his new herd made up of three-year-old Nolean and 18-year-old Kimya. Assistant Curator of Ungulates and Carnivores, Chad Crittle  said, “Both Nolean and Kimya have taken really well to him, in particular Kimya; she is smitten. He has been following them both around closely and is quickly following in their long footsteps.”

“We think Matumi is such a great name for the little guy, he is not only growing tall and strong like an African Teak tree, but his personality is blooming here at Adelaide Zoo,” he said.

Giraffe have lived at Adelaide Zoo for 90 years and planning is currently underway for a new African Oasis habitat which will provide the giraffe herd with an expanded home which they will share with nyala and ostrich.

Zoos SA support giraffe in the wild where they are currently threatened with extinction through the  Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF). Funds from experiences at their two zoos have funded the purchase of GPS satellite-tracking units called Twiga Trackers. These provide a better understanding of where wild giraffe move, how much space they need, and how they utilise their habitats across a range of different environments.