Can you help rescued baby giraffe Shuri?

Shuri is hands-down the sweetest giraffe we know. She loves getting affection from the curators at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, and particularly loves to nibble at their sleeves. She is also a natural when it comes to posing for the camera, much to the delight of her social media followers. Shuri was recently gifted with some warm blankets for the winter, which she happily showed off. In the wild, baby animals seek the comfort and shelter of their mothers when the weather turns cold. As Shuri does not have this option, the blankets provide a comforting, warm extra layer of protection, especially for the early winter mornings.

As she continues to grow, she is encouraged to drink more water and less milk; and is now down to just one morning bottle per day. The curators suspect that she drinks water on her own at night, so they have stopped her water bottle feeds altogether. To ensure that she is taking in an adequate amount of fluid, her hydration levels are being monitored closely.

While the other animals at the Centre enjoy their lucerne bales, Shuri is not a fan, so she is now being fed “boskos”, which is Afrikaans for “bush food”, a complete feed for herbivores which is high in Acacia fibre. Thankfully, Shuri also loves to munch on leaves, which make up the majority of her food intake.

When it comes to sleeping arrangements, Shuri has decided that she’s a big girl now and no longer wants to come into the boma at the end of each evening. Instead, she prefers to stay on her own in the surrounding bush area. This is a good sign, as it means that she is maturing and becoming more used to being a wild animal out in nature. Because she is still a baby, she is prone to getting very ill if bitten by ticks, hence, she needs to be treated regularly for ticks and fleas. However, Shuri is well looked after and monitored daily to do what can be done to prevent diseases in advance.

As part of the rewilding process, the curators are going to start weaning her at the end of the month. We will, of course, keep you updated on her progress.

Baby giraffe Shuri has been growing in both stature and personality since arriving at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) in August last year. She is now a far cry from the fragile little soul that was found clinging to life. Here is a short summary of her journey so far.

A change of scenery

Initially, she was kept in quarantine at the animal clinic area so that she could be closely monitored for any sudden change in her condition, which could have resulted a life-or-death situation requiring urgent intervention. After a couple of months, she was deemed stable and healthy enough to be moved to her own boma with a wider area on which to roam. Prior to being moved, she needed to be tested for Tuberculosis, which is highly contagious and deadly. Once given the all-clear, she was moved and settled into her new space, which allowed her to see the other animals at the Centre.

Animal introductions

The next phase of her journey involved introducing her to animal friends, as it became evident that she needed some company. After careful consideration, it was decided to introduce her to her neighbours, rescued rhino Esmé and pedi sheep Mielie. After allowing them to first set eyes on each other through the adjoining wooden fence, they were introduced more closely when the gate separating their bomas was opened to allow them to move between both spaces. While they do spend time together, they are not yet firm friends, but we hope that this will change soon. Unlike humans, animals are in no hurry and do things at their own pace.

Water challenges and a battle of wills

While Shuri is still given her daily milk bottles to ensure that she receives the nutrition her growing body requires, she also needs to take in an adequate amount of water - something she doesn’t enjoy. The curators go to great lengths to encourage her to drink from her water trough, even scooping up what they can to her mouth, but she is simply not interested and turns her nose up so-to-speak. In the wild, water is the only choice, and Shuri needs to develop a taste for it. A plan was devised to replace her midday milk bottle feed with water instead. This has been working so far and she guzzles down every drop with enthusiasm. The next phase will be getting her to bend down and drink on her own from her water trough.

In her short life thus far, Shuri has certainly demonstrated both her fighting and feisty spirit and we look forward to sharing many more of her milestones as she grows into a tall and graceful young lady.