The Calgary Zoo has welcomed a new addition to its enclosures, a four-year-old female Masai giraffe named Amani.
Amani travelled all the way from Toronto to join the zoo’s current giraffe residents, 14-year-old Nabo and his daughter Moshi.
As much as Amani will be a loveable new member for guests to visit, her move to Alberta is part of a broader breeding program.
Toronto Zoo
Calgary Zoo shared that welcoming Amani is a crucial step in its Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding program, which aims to conserve endangered species. The zoo hopes that her addition will spark a budding romance with Nabo.
According to the zoo, Nabo is a prime candidate for Amani’s affections. After all, he’s tall, handsome, and her most eligible suitor, as the only unrelated male Masai giraffe in Canada.
“We’ve been planning this move for some time, and we’re so excited to officially welcome Amani to her new home in Calgary,” said Colleen Baird, director of Animal Care, Health & Welfare at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.
“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!”
Amani’s journey to the Calgary Zoo was nothing short of spectacular, with months of meticulous planning, coordination, and logistics making her move from the Toronto Zoo possible.
According to the Wilder Institute, a specialized trailer designed for giraffe welfare was used to transport Amani to the Calgary enclosure.
“A dedicated team of animal care professionals from both the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo and the Toronto Zoo coordinated the transport and accompanied Amani on the trip, rotating driving duties and carefully managing sleep schedules to optimize time on the road,” the institute shared in the announcement.