Ronan was born Belfast Zoo and will continue his development journey at Noah’s Ark. Ronan has been warmly welcomed by herd companions 9 year old male Kito and 6 year old female Eller.
Chris Wilkinson, Zoo Curator at Noah’s Ark, commented, “Increasing the size of the herd will have a positive impact on all three individuals and will create an interesting dynamic for Ronan as he matures. Each Rothschild giraffe has completely unique patterns. Ronan is easy to identify within the tower at Noah’s Ark as he has more of a cream colour between his patches compared to Kito and Eller, who are much darker and more orange in colouration.”
Jayne James, Lead Africa Keeper at Noah’s Ark, explained, “We were delighted to welcome Ronan on the 9th December… just in time for Christmas! We’re very excited to have a new member of the family, and we are looking forward to learning more about Ronan’s personality as he settles in.”
Rothschild’s giraffes, a subspecies of the Northern giraffe, are classified as endangered on the ICUN Red List, with less than 2,500 individuals estimated to remain in the wild. As well as poaching, giraffe populations continue to come under pressure from habitat loss and fragmentation, due to growing human populations and the need for urban space.
Larry Bush, Managing Director at Noah’s Ark commented, “We pride ourselves as a Zoo in educating visitors on the natural wonders of the planet and the importance of conserving species and habitats for generations to come. Giraffes have a lot to teach us and Ronan, Kito and Eller act as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. We are so pleased to have Ronan join us for the next chapters of his life and are looking forward to watching him grow and develop.”
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