Perth, meet Tambi! The one-year-old giraffe has just arrived at Perth Zoo following a mammoth 3300km journey from Melbourne.
The confident, young male has begun his quarantine period alongside the zoo’s existing female herd mates Kitoto, Ellie and Zahara, where he will rest and settle in at his own pace.
Tambi, whose name means noodle in Swahili, travelled across the Nullarbor in a specially designed giraffe trailer accompanied by his experienced Melbourne Zoo carers.
The zoo team said he handled the cross-country trip “like a champ thanks to all the preparations and training”.
He joins Perth Zoo as part of the regional breeding program at the zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia.
The zoo has a strong giraffe-breeding program, and since 1995, it has welcomed 12 giraffe calves.
Tambi’s arrival comes after the State Government announced earlier this year an investment of $20 million to expand the zoo’s African Savannah precinct by 2040.
The expansion will transform the former elephant habitat into a larger, immersive landscape for giraffes, zebras and ostriches.
Plans also include a modern giraffe barn that will improve animal welfare — and healthcare training opportunities — while providing visitors with the chance to come eye-to-eye with giraffes and gain a glimpse into areas usually hidden behind the scenes.
Perth Zoo will keep the public updated on when zoo-goers can expect to see Tambi in his new home.