Adelaide Zoo Giraffe Nolean Celebrates Her 1st Birthday

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: October 21, 2020 4:10 pm

Nolean the giraffe receives gifts for her birthday.

Photo Credit: Zoos SA

Nolean the giraffe has celebrated her first birthday with keepers and visitors. Nolean arrived at Adelaide Zoo in June from Monarto Safari Park. At Monarto Safari Park she had been hand-raised by keepers and vets.

Keeper Kat Moore described Nolean, “She is very bonded to her keepers and we feel the same. Nolean is playful, cheeky, and very curious – much like your typical one-year-old!”

To celebrate her first birthday guests were treated to lamington cakes from Kytons bakery and a special talk on Nolean and her companion Kimya along with the conservation story of wild giraffes.

Nolean the giraffe receives presents from Keeper Kat Moore

Photo Credit: Zoos SA

“Zoos SA’s BEEZA group created some fabulous enrichment and decorations to mark the day which Nolean has really enjoyed. There are cardboard cutouts of animals, a big banner, and she has enjoyed tasty enrichment throughout the day,” said Kat.

“Nolean had a special birthday iceblock and a birthday box filled with lucerne and giraffe pellets. She has been thoroughly spoiled and quite rightly so as she is an amazing giraffe.

In addition to the treats for the giraffes their neighbors, the meerkats were also treated to an enrichment item shaped like a birthday cake.

The meerkat family enjoy their enrichment item

Photo Credit: Zoos SA

— AD —

After her birth Nolean required round the clock care when she was hand-raised. She soon picked up health and was bottle-fed from the back of her keepers truck.

At Adelaide Zoo Nolean and Kimya act as ambassadors for wild giraffes who face a range of threats such as habitat loss, poaching and civil unrest which have caused their numbers to plummet.