Barcelona Zoo, February 2020
Photo: ACN
Barcelona Zoo’s new resident
Meet Thembi, Barcelona Zoo’s latest addition. Yet, the baby Rothschild’s giraffe was not brought to the zoo, but was born there in February. Visitors were able to witness 10-year-old giraffe Nuru give birth to the little Thembi, after which mother and newborn spent a few days in a special enclosure before being reunited with their herd.
The Rothschild’s giraffe is a subspecies from southern Sudan, northern Uganda, and western Kenya, and is categorized as being in danger of extinction. The Barcelona Zoo, which is part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, notes that giraffes used to be found all over Africa, but the progressive desertification and poaching have seen their numbers dwindle, meaning that nowadays most large giraffe populations are found in national parks and protected areas.
Yet, Thembi won’t have to worry about that and can concentrate and growing, and growing tall! Already measuring two metres when born, Thembi could eventually grow as tall as six metres in height.
the eye
Meet Thembi, Barcelona Zoo’s latest addition. Yet, the baby Rothschild’s giraffe was not brought to the zoo, but was born there in February. Visitors were able to witness 10-year-old giraffe Nuru give birth to the little Thembi, after which mother and newborn spent a few days in a special enclosure before being reunited with their herd.
The Rothschild’s giraffe is a subspecies from southern Sudan, northern Uganda, and western Kenya, and is categorized as being in danger of extinction. The Barcelona Zoo, which is part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, notes that giraffes used to be found all over Africa, but the progressive desertification and poaching have seen their numbers dwindle, meaning that nowadays most large giraffe populations are found in national parks and protected areas.
Yet, Thembi won’t have to worry about that and can concentrate and growing, and growing tall! Already measuring two metres when born, Thembi could eventually grow as tall as six metres in height.