Endangered giraffes from India on show at S'pore Zoo
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Two young giraffes belonging to an endangered subspecies have arrived at the Singapore Zoo, and the public can now view them at its Wild Africa zone.
The two Rothschild's giraffes were brought here from India as part of an animal exchange partnership between Mysuru Zoo in Karnataka state and Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS).
Fewer than 2,000 Rothschild's giraffes remain in the wild.
The two giraffes' journey to Singapore involved a 22-hour interstate road trip and a seven-day sea voyage, WRS said yesterday.
Named Balaji and Adhil, the two healthy males, who are both about one year old, arrived at Jurong Port in May.
Transporting the giraffes to Singapore was a challenge for WRS as there was a lack of suitable air freight because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"As there was a limited window to ship the fast-growing youngsters before they outgrew all forms of transport, the team explored the option of surface transport," said WRS, which operates the Singapore Zoo.
The giraffes have been adopted by Kuok Singapore, which runs the PACC Line shipping line that brought the animals to Singapore.
The half-siblings - of the same father but different mothers - were named by Mysuru Zoo.
Balaji means strength in Hindi and is the name of an Indian prince. Adhil is a star in the constellation Andromeda and is also the name of one of PACC Line's fleets.
Mr Parmasivam Ramasamy, curator of herbivores at WRS, said: "We are very excited to welcome these gentle giants to Singapore Zoo, and have since introduced them to our resident father-and-son duo, Marco and Jubilee.
"The current giraffe exhibit has ample space for the four, and we have added water troughs and salt lick blocks in preparation for their debut."
Mysuru Zoo has had an animal exchange partnership with WRS since 2010. Animals that have been brought to Singapore include sloth bears and lion-tailed macaques.
The giraffes, which have an expected lifespan of 20 to 25 years in captivity, are staying in Singapore for good.