If you’ve been to Twycross Zoo recently and thought there seemed to be a suspicious amount of giraffes about, you’re not imagining things.
The Leicestershire zoo has just welcomed two more Kordofan giraffes, completing what is now the only herd of this critically endangered species anywhere in the UK.
Female giraffes Eloise and Bonomanzi have finally arrived at Twycross Zoo after months of planning, joining fellow giraffes Gaya, Kofi and one-year-old Floris. The reunion means all five members of the herd are now together in their new East Midlands home.
And getting them there wasn’t exactly a case of sticking them in the back of a van.
It turns out there are only two specialist giraffe transporters in the whole of Europe. The giant height-adjustable vehicles, often described as looking like a horsebox on stilts, are specially designed to move giraffes safely between zoos.
Because of that, Twycross had to bring the giraffes over in stages as part of a carefully coordinated operation involving conservation experts from across the UK and Europe.
According to zoo bosses, planning for the move took almost a year.
Yianna Cooling, Assistant Curator of Mammals at Twycross Zoo, said the arrival of Eloise and Bonomanzi was a “really special moment” after months of preparation.
She said: “Seeing all five giraffes together is a really special moment for everyone involved.
“We’ve spent almost a year planning every detail of their move and working closely with colleagues across the UK and Europe to make sure the giraffes’ individual needs were considered.
“Getting them here safely is just the beginning.”
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But this isn’t just about giving zoo visitors something adorable to look at.
Kordofan giraffes are listed as Critically Endangered, with fewer than 1,500 thought to remain in the wild. Conservationists say habitat loss, conflict, poaching and human activity are continuing to push the species towards extinction.
The five giraffes at Twycross will now become part of a wider European conservation programme designed to maintain healthy and genetically diverse populations in zoos, helping to safeguard the species’ future if numbers in the wild continue to fall.
Basically, they’re not just the tallest residents in Leicestershire right now, they’re also part of a pretty important effort to stop an entire species disappearing.
Visitors have already been flocking to see the first arrivals over the summer, and Twycross hopes the completed herd will become one of the zoo’s biggest attractions.
