Meet the Giraffes
Meet the Giraffes : Nairobi Giraffe Center is currently a home to a total of 10 giraffes, 7 female and 3 male giraffes. Six of the giraffes were born at the Centre while the four were translocated from different parks and nature conservancies across Kenya.
Each of the giraffe has a name, interesting characteristics, definite personalities and moods. As noted in Raising Daisy Rothschild, (Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville, Penguin Books, 1977) “I had never realised wild animals could have such definite personalities. Her moods are mercurial: she sulks, laughs, plays, pouts and has moments of ecstasy, is stroppy, confident, insecure, and shows many other facets of personality which would make a psychiatrist reel.”
Betty
Betty is named after the founder of the center Betty Leslie – Melville, at 17 years she is the oldest of the oldest of the tower. She is a wild girl at heart and prefers to hang out in the forest adjacent to the center.
Betty brought to Nairobi Giraffe Center from Lake Nakuru national park.
Kelly
Kelly is a beautiful giraffe easily identified by her light – brown coat, she is also the tallest of the females. With Kelly, as the Center’s Educator’s like to say “food for friendship”, you better have some pallets in hand when she comes to you. So far Kelly has given birth to 5th calves.
Daisy IV
Daisy is known to butt heads against the guests of the center that is why you have to be careful where you stand, she doesn’t particularly like children.
Daisy IV is identified by her dark-coat and a clipped left ear, though she doesn’t like children, she is quite the darling, she is just choosy about who she shows affection to and it mostly ends up being adults.
Daisy so far has given birth to 3 calves.
Salma II
Salma is one of the visitor’s favorite giraffe most especially if you like sloppy kisses, she won’t hesitate to take in your whole face. She is the feisty one with more white on her coat than the rest, while in her presence, do not turn your back to hear as she wants all your attention.
Margaret
Just like her mother Kelly, Margaret has a shimmery light brown coat. She has also taken after her mother personality – wise, to get her attention and affection, it is wise to have a fistful of feed for her.
Since The Giraffe Center is majorly a breeding Center, Margaret after becoming of age 3 years, she was trans-located to Mwea National Reserve. She was accompanied with Warid and Jock VI, under the keen eye of the Kenya Wildlife Services, they are being accessed on how they are integrating to with other Giraffes at Mwea National Reserve.
Edd
Edd is the biggest of the tower and the father to all the calves at the center, he is also the friendliest. Edd stands at a whopping 18 ft (5.4 meters) tall and he is 8 year old, Edd loves people just as much as he loves his off springs.
Edd is a good individual and will slurp up food pallets from just about anyone’s lips.
Nandi
Nandi is born to Stacey and she is 2 year old, she is named after Nandi Flame Tree or the African Tuliptree. Nandi recently had some health issues, thanks to the KWS Veterinary unit she was treated and she is well.
When feeding Nandi, do not make sudden movements line reaching to your pocket, she will run away as she would assume you want to trap her.
Mpingo
Mpingo is a 1 year old calf to Daisy, he is easy to spot as he is bigger and dark than all the other calves around. Do not let his big body fool you, he is the second youngest of the calves, as per now the center has 4 calves from 3 cows (female giraffes).
Lilly
Lilly is the youngest of the tower at the Giraffe Center or the Journey if they are crossing from one side for of the Centre to the other.
Lilly is barely a year old and being a daughter to Stacey, she is just like her mother and because of that she is hard to see as she like staying far from the platform area.
Note: Lilly is the baby sister to Nandi.
Olerai
Olerai is one year old and he gets his name from the Maasai Community as they call the acacia tree Oleria, he is light skinned male calf and a son to Kelly
Mtwapa
Mtwapa is a new born to Kelly and is the Sweet Pea flower, she was named by the center;s online guests after they were requested for a vote.
Meet the giraffes
The Nairobi Giraffe Center is a must visit site while on a safari in Nairobi most especially for individuals who are interested in spending quality time with the giraffes.
