2 South African female giraffes in good health after quarantine: Giza Zoo

CAIRO – 21 January 2021: The two new female giraffes at Giza Zoo were announced to have finished their quarantine period on Thursday, and that they are now in good health, according to Director of Giza Zoo Maha Saber.

Saber added that the two female giraffes, Farah and Sheky, adapted to their new place, and that they are given sometime by the end of each day too roam around their place.

Farah and Sheky are two female giraffes who were imported from South Africa last December, along with a male giraffe “Zizo” who died due to what was revealed by the zoo’s autopsy as general body weakness that it suffered before arriving in Egypt.

The male giraffe is believed to have been affected by a wave of cold weather, and it was unable to adapt to the new environment he was relocated to.

Giza Zoo received three new giraffes from South Africa as part of an animal exchange system, where Egypt, in exchange, hippopotamus, some types of Arab rams, white pelicans and rare parrots.

The new giraffes came from a nature reserve in South Africa, where they lived in an open forest with trees and wild animals.

Giza zoo has lost a number of giraffes that died over the past period. The zoo resorted to import new giraffes, which attract huge number of visitors. Ahead of their arrival, the zoo has allocated a new house equipped especially for the new giraffes.

Dr. Mohamed Rajaei, head of the Central Department of Zoos said in TV statements Tuesday that Egypt did not bear financial cost of the importing of the new giraffes, although transporting these animals costs a lot. However, South Africa bore the transportation expenses in accordance with the international standards of transporting wild animals.

He further added that the Giza Zoo will soon receive new elephants, ensuring that the zoo's revenues are sufficient to cover the animals' needs and veterinary care.