New giraffe arrives at Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo after trans-Canada trip

A four-year-old giraffe named Amani has joined the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo family.

The zoo announced Monday the young Masai giraffe joins current residents, 14-year-old Nabo and his nine-year-old daughter, Moshi.

Amani came from the Toronto Zoo as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding program, designed to support the long-term conservation of the endangered species.

“We’ve been planning this move for some time, and we’re so excited to officially welcome Amani to her new home in Calgary,” Colleen Baird, Director of Animal Care, Health & Welfare at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said. “Amani’s arrival is a significant boost for our tower’s well-being and plays a vital role in the SSP for Masai giraffes. Our commitment to animal welfare, well-being, and species conservation is at the core of everything we do.

“We’re hoping for a tall tale of romance between her and Nabo as a successful breeding pair!”

Transporting Amani from Toronto to Calgary took months of planning, the zoo says.

She arrived in the city after a long journey in a specialized trailer. The zoo explains there were stops for rest, welfare checks, and supplemental feedings to maximize efficiency and minimize travel time.

When the transport convoy was faced with a mechanical issue, teams were able to secure a WestJet Cargo hangar for Amani to stay warm while the problem was fixed.

Amani will now undergo a 10 to 30 day quarantine, with access to an outdoor yard, under the supervision of the zoo’s Animal Care, Health & Welfare team. After that, she will be introduced to the rest of the tower (the name for a group of giraffes).

In the spring of 2023, 12-year-old Masai giraffe Emara died after tangling one of her horns in a cable surrounding her enclosure. She fell against the enclosure fence and died almost instantly of a broken neck.

The zoo called Emara’s death a tragic accident.