Orana’s Fanana Makes First Appearance

Orana Wildlife Park’s future breeding bull giraffe will make his first public appearance tomorrow. He is called Fanana and is 11 months old. He was transferred from Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Dubbo, Australia) last month and has completed his 30-day quarantine period.

Head Keeper of Exotic Mammals, Rob Clifford, says: “Fanana is a very pleasant natured young boy. He has adjusted well to our setting and I am sure he will enjoy getting outside tomorrow. It will be great for him to meet our four female giraffes for the first time.”

Park staff will load Fanana into his travel crate tomorrow morning and transport him through the Park by truck to the Giraffe Habitat. He will be unloaded into the Giraffe House and will have access to a yard alongside the giraffe herd.

“Fanana will be separated from the girls whilst we monitor their interactions before making a decision to introduce them. He has come from a big herd at Taronga Western Plains Zoo so we do not foresee any problems, especially since he is a young bull moving into an all female herd. We will take a cautious approach though to ensure we successfully integrate the animals.”

The arrival of Fanana signals a new era for Orana Wildlife Park. Last year, Harold (19) died suddenly leaving the Park without a breeding male. Harold sired nine offspring and left one last legacy in the form of a daughter named Harriet; she was born in November 2012. Fanana will enrich her life immensely and add a new social dynamic to our giraffe herd.

Orana Wildlife Park is involved in the zoo-based breeding programme for giraffe and to date 17 calves have been born here. Fanana is an appropriate match for Orana’s younger females (aged 15 years, 9 years and 8 months). However, giraffes reach maturity around 3 to 4 years of age so it will be some time before any more calves are born.

Fanana’s transfer to Orana was a unique process. He was the first giraffe to fly into the Australasian region since Harold flew to New Zealand in 1994! Giraffe normally travel the whole journey by sea.

“We are sure that the flying Fanana will impress visitors who will be able to see him mature over time” concludes Rob.
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